Emigrants' Newsletter 2015 on sale now

The 2015 Emigrant’s Newsletter is now packed, posted and making its way to all destinations throughout the world where Fethard emigrants reside. Thanks to the many generous donations received from supporters at home and abroad we are still in a position to post the newsletter free of charge to emigrants living away from Fethard and Killusty parish. The letters received in return are very encouraging and highlight the importance of how much the newsletter means to those living away from home.

Thanks to all who provided photographs, articles and helped in any with the production of this year’s issue; Carmel Rice, Brookhill, who looks after correspondence and donations; Gemma Burke for proofreading; and Brendan Kenny and his voluntary team who look after distribution and postage every year.

The Newsletter is now on sale in the following local shops: Centra Supermarket, The Green; McManus’s Grocery, Burke Street; Daybreak, Kerry Street; and the Post Office, Main Street. This year’s issue is priced at €12 and has over 248 pages of articles and photographs including lots of very interesting feature articles. We thank you for your continued support and wish all our readers a very Happy Christmas.

Died Recently
The death has occurred on Tuesday, December 8, of Mr Jim Carroll, St. Patrick's Place, Fethard. Jim, deeply regretted and sadly missed by his daughters Sharon, Susan, Orla, Clodagh, Janice and Marie, their mother Mary, his brothers and sisters Cathy, Nancy, Delia, Dick, Frank, Michael, Marie and Roger, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. May he rest in peace.

Reposing at his residence on Thursday December 10th from 5 pm to 8 pm. Funeral Mass on Friday at 11 am in the Holy Trinity Parish Church, Fethard, followed by burial in Moyglass Cemetery.

Died Recently
The death has occurred on Thursday, December 10, 2015, of Margaret Fitzgerald (née Connolly), Monroe, Cashel Road, Fethard, peacefully at St Brigid's Hospital, Carrick-on-Suir. Margaret, pre-deceased by her daughters Majella and infant Margaret, brothers Liam, Jim and Ned, sadly missed by her husband John, son Michael (Buddy), daughters Breda, Caroline, Emma and Stephanie, grandchildren Gavin, Eoin, Ronan, Gerard, Micheál, Jack, Kelly, Ella and Tom, daughter-in-law Marie, sons-in-law Gerry, Michael and TJ, brother Seán, sisters-in-law Therése, Kathleen and Eileen, nephews, nieces, relatives, neighbours and friends. May she rest in peace

Reposing at her home from 4pm to 8pm on Saturday, December 12. Requiem Mass in the Holy Trinity Parish Church, Fethard on Sunday at 11am followed by burial in Calvary Cemetery. Family flowers only please. Donations, if desired, to St Brigid's Hospital, Carrick-on-Suir. House private on Sunday morning.

Augustinian Abbey Carol Service

Ciaran Maguire, boy soprano, and Ciara Tyllier who will sing at the Augustinian Abbey Carol Service on Sunday next, December 13 at 7pm

The Augustinian Abbey carol service will take place next Sunday, December 13, at 7pm by the Fethard Choral Society, under the musical director Ann Barry. Ciaran Maguire, boy soprano, will sing a solo 'walking in the air' and Ciara Tillyer will sing 'Panis Angelicus' and 'O Holy Night'.

The Fethard Choral Society will also sing all the favourite carols with the beautiful 'Sanctus' from Fauré's Requiem. Pupils from Holy Trinity National School, under the baton of Rita Kenny, will also be performing and there will be a collection for their school as they have offered so much to this yearly event. There will be a goodies bag for each child in the choir after the service and sweets for the other children present. Centra are also sponsoring a cheese and wine reception afterwards in the Abymill Theatre. All are welcome and admission is free. It promises to be a good night for all, so please come and support a very enjoyable festive evening.

Kickstart your business

Alan Mulcahy (left) from Energia and Mike Dalton from Dalton’s Pharmacy, Fethard. Mike won the Kickstart Your Business competition on Newstalk and Alan is photographed here presenting a cheque for €1,000.

Well done to Fethard business, Dalton’s Pharmacy, winner in the recent ‘Kickstart Your Business’ competition on ‘The Right Hook’ show broadcast on Newstalk 106-108 radio. Proprietor Mike Dalton was delighted with the award in recognition of his business started in Barrack Street, Fethard, in 2013.

Mike, originally from Cahir, qualified as a pharmacist from Trinity College in 2007 and went on to work for Bayer pharmaceutical in their office in Dublin. In 2008 he returned to work locally with O'Briens Pharmacy in Cahir and later O'Dwyers Pharmacy in Cashel where he spent three years before ‘kickstarting’ his own business in Fethard.
Daltons pharmacy now provides a vast range of over the counter medicines and can fill all prescription types, just call in store and speak with Mike. They also blister pack medication into simple to use, disposable, hygienic packs. This is ideal for anyone on a multitude of medication that needs to be taken at different times of the day.
The award was sponsored by leading energy provider Energia.

Died Recently
The death has occurred Tuesday, December 8, 2015, of Mary Newport (née Kenny), Congress Terrace, Fethard (Feast of the Immaculate Conception). Mary, beloved wife of Tony and adored mother of Catherine, Margaret, Elizabeth, Lydia and Edwina, sons-in-law, sisters and brothers, grandchildren Derek, Mary Jane, Ruby and Isobel, nieces, nephews, relatives and many friends and all those who cared for her. May she rest in peace.

Reposing at home on Wednesday, December 9, from 4pm with removal to the Holy Trinity Parish Church at 7pm. Funeral Mass on Thursday at 11am followed by burial in Calvary Cemetery. "The Day thou gavest Lord is ended".

Christmas ‘Spree’ next weekend with Santa in Fethard
Santa Claus visits Fethard on December 11 to switch on the Christmas lights as part of the Business & Tourism Group’s ‘Christmas Shopping Spree’ weekend. Santa will arrive by sleigh to Holy Trinity National School at 2pm on Friday, December 11, where he will meet the children and be welcomed to Fethard. At 2.30pm he will travel with the children to the Christmas Tree on the Square to switch on the festive lights on the Christmas Tree and streets of Fethard. Following this official duty, Santa will make his way to the Convent Community Hall where he will meet all the boys and girls in his grotto and a huge party will take place to entertain all. DJ Roger will supply music with lots of dancing and other amusement, such as balloon modelling, baking competition, colouring competitions and lots more. Mickey and Minnie Mouse will also be on the street to add to the atmosphere.
The annual Red Ribbon Christmas Appeal will also takes place on Friday, December 11, when you can buy a red ribbon for €2 outside the Post Office and other venues, write the name of a deceased loved one on the ribbon, and the ribbons will be hung on the church railings where they will be blessed on Christmas morning.

On Saturday, December 12, our local Country Market and visiting market groups from Cahir, Waterford and Portumna will set up stall and sell their festive produce from 10am to 1pm on Main Street. This is a fantastic opportunity to purchase the best of home-produced food and crafts in preparation for Christmas.

To mark the occasion, local businesses will also offer special discounts for the ‘spree’ and for every €5 spent you will name and number will be put on a free ticket and put into a draw for a huge ‘Christmas Hamper’ provided by the business people of the town.

Tadhg's Trip to Tipp
Due to popular demand, Dr Tadhg O'Keeffe returns for a second visit to the Tipperary People and Places Lecture in The Source, Thurles, on Tuesday, December 15, at 7.30pm. Tadhg is Associate Professor in the School of Archaeology in UCD. Amongst his many titles are Fethard: Irish historic town atlas and Fethard, Co. Tipperary: a guide to the medieval town and widely known On this visit he will speak on The Monastic Church in Tipperary, 1100 - 1600.

Monastic life, guided by the templates laid down by two of the early Church’s great intellectual heavyweights, SS Benedict and Augustine, was a career option for generations of scions of well-to-do medieval families. Some lived in the centres of towns and participated in civic life, others bore arms on the medieval frontier, some removed themselves to remote and isolated rural settings for the full apostolic experience. Come joins us in The Source, for an insight into the lives of these religious individuals between the early twelfth century, when Church reform paved the way for new monastic congregations following the rules of Benedict and Augustine, and the late sixteenth-century aftermath of Henry VIII’s suppression of religious houses. All are welcome. For further details contact studies@tipperarycoco.ie or (0504) 29278.

November Sports Achievement Award

Photographed at the presentation of the Butler's Bar Fethard Sports Achievement Award for November are L to R: Kevin Coffey, representing this month's sponsor Thurles Cash and Carry; Pat O'Donnell and Alice Butler both representing this month's award winner Fethard Ladies Rugby Club; and Danny Kane, special sporting guest.

The winner of the Fethard Butler’s Bar Sports Achievement Award for November was Fethard Ladies Rugby Club who are going from strength to strength with two of their underage teams, U13 and U18 having qualified for the Munster semifinals. This month’s sponsor, Thurles Cash and Carry was represented by local man Kevin Coffey, who presented the award along with Danny Kane, special sporting guest, at the presentation on Friday night, December 4.

Christmas Workshop
Fethard ICA Guild will hold a Christmas Workshop with Mandy Quigley on Wednesday, December 16, at 8pm, please bring a scissors with you.

The committee would like to thank Fethard Knitting Group, all guild members and non-members, who knit / crochet squares and made blankets in aid of the Syrian refugees and those who came to our craft night to help sew them up. We made a total of sixteen blankets, which was excellent for the short time we had. We wish all our members a very Happy Christmas and New Year.

St. Vincent de Paul collection next weekend
The annual St. Vincent de Paul Christmas collection will take place on next Saturday December 12, and Sunday, December 13. We ask you to continue your support for our Conference of Holy Trinity as you have done so generously over the years. All funds raised are used within the parish and our work ranges from helping senior citizens, fuel, help for deserving families, assistance when illness strikes a family, education help and being available when a family finds themselves in temporary need.
We appreciate the help received from the various businesses in the parish and the on-going support from the people of the parish. If you wish to donate to our collection we will be most grateful and if you miss the collection next weekend you can make a direct donation to our treasurer, Mr Vincent Doocey, Abbey Road, Fethard.

Graduation

Gavin Lonergan, Fethard, who recently graduated from DCU Dublin with a BA in Finance and Accountancy, photographed above with his parents, Geraldine and Francis.

Running for Hospice
Congratulations to Neilie Hall and Tom Halpin who raised €2,340 for South Tipperary Hospice Movement by taking part in this year’s recent Dublin City Marathon. The local Hospice Support Group are very grateful to Neilie and Tom for their tremendous effort in taking part every year – Neilie first ran for the support group over 20 years ago and was joined by Tom in 2012. Both are very experienced runners and are also members of Ballynonty Athletic Club. Well done!

Social dancing at Fethard Ballroom
Dancing at Fethard Ballroom on this coming Sunday night, December 13, to the music of ‘Sam O’Doherty’. All welcome to come along and enjoy a great night’s entertainment and social dancing from 9pm to midnight. Admission is €8 which includes tea and cakes.

Fethard & District Rugby Club
Fethard U18 Girls played a great game on the 4G pitch in UL last Friday evening and to achieve a draw in the wet and windy conditions was a fantastic achievement, playing their hearts out in the semifinal of the Munster League. In particular we note Elise O'Connor for her great work at full back and fabulous runs. First time match player, Dorothy Wall, also impressed showing textbook tackling and wonderful rucking. A special well done to Therese Ryan for her wonderful work in the forwards in keeping the defence strong. Keep up the wonderful development girls.

Our Under 15s were far from disgraced last week in their Munster League semifinal loss against Abbeyfeale. With several unfortunate interceptions from Abbeyfeale our girls were unlucky after showing some strong tackling, in particular from Jennifer Fogarty and Molly Keane. There was fine ball work and runs from Kate Gayson Molloy. Our several U13 members also showed great skill and putting in great tackles and fine chasing to slow down the ball. Nicole Vaughan scored a wonderful try in the second half and showed improved rucking and tackling, while Mairead McCarthy recycled ball well. Not forgetting our replacement player, Leah McGarry, for great support. So proud of you girls for playing right up to the final whistle.


Fethard's Cathal Meagher drives forward in the Rugby J1 League encounter between Fethard and Killarney on Sunday December 6, 2015. (Photos supplied by Kieran Butler)


Declan Doyle in action during the Rugby J1 League encounter between Fethard and Killarney on Sunday December 6, 2015.


Steely determination on the face of Fethard's J.R. McGrath during the Rugby J1 League encounter between Fethard and Killarney on Sunday December 6, 2015.

The club would like to express a big ‘Thank You’ to all who supported the Fethard Rugby Club’s enjoyable table quiz held in Killenaule on Saturday night last.

Athletic Club’s ‘Santa Run’
Fethard Athletic Club’s annual 5k Santa Run is drawing ever closer so make sure to leave your diary open on Sunday, December 20, at 12pm. Families and walkers all welcome and festive costume for all participants is encouraged and children welcome. All proceeds are in aid of the children's ward at South Tipperary General Hospital
Our club Christmas Dinner is taking place on Thursday, December 10, at 8pm in McCarthys. Please let Micheál know if you're able to attend.

Win Christmas Turkeys & Hams in Community Lotto
The numbers drawn on December 2 were: 3, 4, 20 and 26. There was no jackpot winner and no ‘Match Three’ winner so the following drawn tickets received €50 each: Margaret Doocey, Abbey Road. Fethard; Jane Keogh, c/o Tom Purcell; and Christy Devitt, Strylea, Fethard.

The three ‘Lucky Dip’ winners who also received €50 each were: Liam O'Sullivan, Cois Falla, Fethard; Liam Hayes, Redcity, Fethard; and Davy Maher, Barrack Street, Fethard.

Christmas Ham winners were: Johanna Corbett, Canon Hayes Court, Fethard; Richie Hayes, c/o Brud Roche; Darren O'Donohoe, Monkstown, Cork

Christmas Turkey winners were: Therese Barrett, The Green, Fethard; Betty Reilly, Drangan; and Bill O'Sullivan, Main Street, Fethard.

Next week’s draw takes place on Wednesday, December 9, which includes free festival draws for Christmas Turkeys and Hams. The Jackpot is €8,350 and the Jackpot seller’s prize is €835. All proceeds go towards community projects in Fethard, and we thank you for your on-going support.

Ballyluskey Meet at The Rectory

Ballyluskey White Heather Harriers and followers photographed at their Meet at The Rectory, Fethard, last Sunday, November 22


Photographed at the Balluskey Harriers Meet at The Rectory Fethard on Sunday last, November 22, are L to R: Mary Jane Kearney, Liam Leahy, Tony Newport and Catherine Kearney.

Historical Society’s ‘Road to 1916’
On Friday night last, December 4, on a very wild and wet evening Dr. Noreen Higgins-McHugh came from Hollyford to deliver her talk on ‘The Road to 1916’ in the Abymill Theatre. Although the weather was awful, up to thirty people came to hear a riveting lecture and slide presentation by Dr. Higgins-McHugh. The talk dealt with the whole socio / political / economic / militaristic situation in Ireland in the early 1900s which finally led up to the Easter Rising in Dublin in 1916. She also recounted the ‘day by day’ happenings in Dublin, the surrender on the following Saturday and of course the immediate executions of the leaders, a response which utterly changed the mood in the country and of course changed the course of Irish history.

2016 Programme of Events
Other ‘1916’ events will occur throughout 2016 and they will be co-ordinated with the county and national commemorative programme, so as to avoid a clash of dates and allow members of the Historical Society and Fethard people in general, the chance to travel and attend events in other places.

As part of the 1916 commemoration, the 21st Tipperariana Book Fair, on Sunday February 14, 2016, will be displaying a special interest in the topic of books in the Irish Language, both in the 1916 era and also at the present time. The Irish language revival issue was central to the whole Irish Republican cause – a cause that cost the 1916 leaders their young lives. It is also planned to hold a table quiz ‘as Gaeilge’ later in 2016 a novel idea which should prove an added test for the usual table quiz aficionados.

D.P. Walsh of The Green, Fethard
Central to the Historical Society’s Commemorative Programme will be a look at the life and fighting efforts of D.P. Walsh who was born on The Green, Fethard in 1892. D.P. Walsh was central to the 1916 Tipperary story and was a vital cog in the Third Tipperary Brigade’s successes in the War of Independence. The Walsh Cup - the county trophy for the Junior ‘A’ Hurling Championship - is presented in his honour every year since 1990.

The Historical Society would like to hear from anyone who has items or memorabilia associated with 1916, especially any items or books that can be incorporated (safely of course) in some way during the year-long schedule of events. Contact can be made by phoning Terry Cunningham at 086 3905373 or Pat Looby at (052) 6131537.

Peter Pan commences run in the Abymill

Pupils from Patrician Presentation Secondary School photographed at rehearsal fro their school show 'Peter Pan' which runs in the Abymill Theatre from Wednesday, December 9, to Saturday, December 12.

The Patrician Presentation Secondary School, Fethard, proudly presents 'Peter Pan' at the Abymill Theatre, Fethard from Wednesday, December 9, to Saturday, December 12. Tickets are available from the school office contact: Tel: (052) 6131572. The show starts at 7.30pm on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday night and at 8.15pm on Saturday night. This show promises to be a great night’s entertainment so get your tickets early to avoid disappointment.

Fethard Faces and Places from the Past
The following are a selection of photographs recently added to the Fethard Faces and Places from the Past page on Facebook, also published here for the benefit of our readers who are not on Facebook. The Facebook page is used for sharing old Fethard photographs with other members of the group and is open to all interested in joining. Send any comments or photo information to fethardnews@gmail.com

The following photographs were taken at a Nano Nagle National School outing and supplied by teacher Ms Winnie Hickey and added to 'Fethard Faces & Places' by Larry Kenny.

Fethard News
Items for inclusion on this website and 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.

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