Best of luck to our gymnastic finalists
Best of luck to Ines Byrne, Emily Clancy, Leyla Barraz, Erin Carroll, Katie Allen, Keira Daniel and Emily Spillane who will all compete in the County finals of the Community Games Gymnastics in Monroe Sports Centre this Sunday, May 22.
Fethard Clean Sweep - All-Ireland wins for both Junior Boys and Junior Girls
Fethard Junior Girls Volleyball team winners of the VAI All-Ireland School's Junior Shield at UL. The squad and mentors are photographed above: Caoimhe O’Meara, Carrie Davey, Leah Coen, Lucy Spillane, Maggie Fitzgerald, Laura Kiely, Laura O’Donnell, Megan Hackett, Ashley Bradshaw, Rachel Prout, Chloe Nolan, Holly Broomfield, Alison Connelly, Nell Spillane, Michelle Cronin and Rachel Loughnane. Coach Ms Walsh.
Wednesday, April 27, saw the junior girls from Fethard Patrician Presentation Secondary School, win the VAI All-Ireland School's Junior Shield at UL. The following Wednesday, May 4, the boys added an amazing second All-Ireland victory for the school in the same venue.
Having qualified from 44 teams around the country in the early rounds, our girls played blitzes in Loughrea, Ennis and Mountrath to secure a semi-final spot on April 27. Their opponents, Ashbourne Community College from Meath, were quickly despatched in two sets, with Fethard even playing most of their panel of subs.
The final against Ardscoil Mhuire of Ballinasloe was, however, a very different affair. The Galway girls, having played a very tough semi-final against the Dublin qualifiers, settled very quickly into a routine and caught the Fethard girls off guard in the first set. This was probably added to by the fact that our girls had just come from success in U16 football less than 24 hours earlier and were possibly tired. Disappointment soon turned to determination, however, as Fethard dug deep and fought back bravely to take the second set 25-13.
Bolstered by their win, they gave a masterclass in teamwork and skill to drive on and win the third set 25-18, thus claiming their title.
Not surprisingly, the officials had no doubts in deciding to award the Most Valued Player award to a member of the Fethard team, and though spoilt for choice, they selected Maggie Fitzgerald for her strength and commitment on every ball.
Fethard Boys Volleyball team squad photographed with coaches Mr McGree and Dillon Costin after winning the All-Ireland final against St. Brigid’s Vocational School. The squad was: Robert Hackett, Darragh Hurley, Keith Morrissey, Kieran O’Donnell, Cathal Ryan, Aran Larkin, Darragh Fenlon, Eric Costin, Aaron Trehy, Liam Hickey, Sean Phelan and Nevin Healy.
The boys’ team had also qualified for the semi-finals, following journeys to counties Waterford, Laois and Galway where they topped their qualifying group. Standing between them and a spot in the national finals were St. Raphael’s College of Loughrea. In a very tight game between evenly matched sides, Fethard held out in the first two sets to win 25-20, 25-18. Their opposition hit hard on every ball but the intelligent placing of serves, hits and tips from the Fethard boys was in the end more effective. For the final, Fethard ended up playing St. Brigid’s Vocational School, who had qualified in second place from the same group but were successful in the other semi-final match.
Despite the pressure of again meeting a team which they had only narrowly beaten in the quarter finals (3 sets to 2), the Fethard boys proved that result to have been justified as they went on to beat them again in the final in two straight sets. Again, the award for MVP went Fethard’s way, with (captain) Robert Hackett being the choice of the officials.
These wins mark a return to success in this age group after a 10 year gap for girls and 8 year gap for boys. Even reaching the finals was an amazing achievement, having beaten schools with 800+ pupils to reach Fethard’s third national finals this year (senior girls won silver medals in November) and our fifth All-Ireland finals in the last two years (Cadette Girls won last year and Cadette Boys reached the finals). Well done to all involved.
Boys – Robert Hackett, Darragh Hurley, Keith Morrissey, Kieran O’Donnell, Cathal Ryan, Aran Larkin, Darragh Fenlon, Eric Costin, Aaron Trehy, Liam Hickey, Sean Phelan and Nevin Healy. Coaches: Mr McGree and Dillon Costin.
Lourdes Invalid Fund sponsored walk
A sponsored walk in aid of the local Lourdes Invalid Fund will take place in Fethard on Sunday, May 29, starting at 2pm from outside the Town Hall and commencing via Killenaule Road – Ballybough and returning by Rocklow Road to finish at the Town Hall. Sponsorship cards are available for those wishing to take part. Your support is appreciated.
The ‘Willow Deer’ by the Clashawley River Fethard
Fethard Transition Year students photographed with their ‘Willow Deer’ situated by the Convent Community Hall on the bank of the Clashawley river.
The ‘Willow Deer’, which has recently been placed on the bank of the Clashawley River, near the Convent Community Hall, was made by the Transition Year students from Patrician Presentation Secondary School Fethard. A deer was chosen by the students as it is a local symbol of identity for Fethard.
The deer was made in the art class with workshops from specialist willow sculptor Lynn Kirkham, and funded by Tipperary Regional Youth Services as part of their Youth Connex Festival. It was made over a period of one month last November 2015, and was placed in the front yard of the school.
Recently Fethard Tidy Towns were approached as to a suitable public space for the ‘Willow Deer’ for the summer months and it was decided to place it near the river bed, not far from the Fethard Osiery (willow bed) and amidst a natural setting of wild flowers and grasses.
The osiery/willow bed at Monroe, on the Cashel Road, is in the ownership of the Cummins family, and it was here that the willow was harvested for the deer sculpture.
Willow has been cultivated for many centuries and in the past, families would maintain osiery or willow beds which could then be used for making everyday items, before the invention of plastic, items such as carrier baskets, fishing baskets, log baskets, potato baskets and cribs. Today these skills and traditions, although part of their heritage, are lost to many of the younger inhabitants of the area. Making a featured piece of sculpture brought a whole new way of working with willow to these students.
When students were working on the deer they met with another willow expert Mick Collier who said that such osiery/willow beds were known as ‘Stick Yards’ to an older generation.
Such willow sculptures can have a short life span, a couple of years. Lynn thought a period of 3 to 5 years for this present piece.
The students are looking forward to seeing the ‘Willow Deer’ surrounded by a natural meadow of wild flowers and grasses later this summer, and thanks to Joe Keane and his Fethard Tidy Towns team, for taking such care in its removal and careful placement by the river bed.
Outing to Kilcash this Friday
The first summer outing of the Fethard Historical Society is to ‘old Kilcash’ on Friday evening, May 20, and everyone, members and non-members alike, are welcome to come along. Local Kilcash historian Phil Flood, who also authored a book on the area, will be the guide for the evening.
People will meet at 7.45pm in ‘old Kilcash’ at the ruined castle, with ‘car-pooling’ at 7.15pm from outside Fethard Town Hall. The cost is €5 and includes refreshments at the end of the visit. In order to have a rough idea of numbers, it would be appreciated if people going on the visit would text or call 086 3905373 or notify us by email at: history@fethard.com before Friday, May 20.
Fethard Scouts achieve great honours again
Fethard Scouts achieved great honours yet again and for the fifth consecutive year will represent our county at the National Phoenix Challenge to be held over four days in August at Mount Melleray. Congratulations to a great patrol above: PL Katie Ryan, APL Noele O'Meara, Patrick Shine, Adam O'Sullivan, Emer O'Sullivan, Daniel Daly, Aran Larkin and Jake Keating.
Show your support at Rugby Club’s AGM
Fethard and District Rugby Club will hold their AGM at their clubhouse on next Tuesday, May 24, at 9pm. Please do your best to attend and show your support for the club’s continued growth, which now fields teams for boys and girls all the way up to senior level.
Social dancing at Fethard Ballroom
Dancing on Sunday Night, May 22, to the music of ‘Images’. 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 Juvenile GAA
Fethard U8 football team who took part in the ‘Football Blitz’ in Clonmel
We had a big turnout last Saturday for the U8 football blitz in Clonmel, which was hosted by Clonmel Commercials. We had enough players to enter two teams and this allowed each player to play three games. The lovely sunshine in Clonmel brought great performances from all our players along with some outstanding scores worthy of winning a South final. So well done to all players for a great effort and for performing so well – showing great improvement and development since the start of the year,. Keep up the practice at home. We also thank the players who were unavailable to attend on the day. Their commitment has been great so far this year and there will be plenty of more games to play before the year is over.
Fethard U10 boys’ football team beat Cahir by 2 points in the Community Games South semifinal. They were 4 points down in the last minute and scored two fast goals to win by 2 points. This bunch of lads have some heart and always wear their jersey with such pride. Final score was: Cahir 4-6, Fethard 5-5.
Fethard Athletic Club
Sponsorship is coming in fairly well for Fethard Athletic Club’s forthcoming ‘Walls of Fethard’ 6K event. We now have three main patrons and individual prizes and by this time next week we will be in a better position to finalize our full prize list which we expect to be at least as good if not better than last year. Every year since the ‘Walls’ started our prize list has been equal to both men and ladies and this vein will continue this year for our race on May 26.
Our thanks to Fethard Youth Club for their understanding and releasing their booking of the Convent Community Hall for our use on the night. Hopefully some of the members will also come along and give us a hand on the night. Maybe a few might also run and make the wheel come full circle, as it was from the 1979 Youth Club, under the guidance of the late and great Fr. P.J. Killian OSA, that helped to revive athletics in Fethard, even though the club was established in 1953 under the eye of another great priest, Fr Hogan, and Brother Albert Small from the Patrician Brothers school. The first secretary was the late Mr Timmy O’Connor, Main Street.
Down through the years we have made our mark in NACAI and AAI, taking many Tipperary, Munster and National awards, but more about that at another time.
All you young boys and girls out there – you don't know what you are missing – the excitement, the friendship, the good friends, a healthy way of life and comradeship, and finally the great memories and stories to recall at a later time in life.
Training will continue on Monday nights at 6.30pm for athletes with capabilities to race and compete. For those that just want to tip along, you will have your own group leader and a new group for walkers will also be on hand to work out – nothing to strenuous. We hope to see a nice gathering out and hopefully this will continue for the summer months.
We omitted to mention Ailbe Ryan in the Dundrum Brendan Kinane race report last week and it’s great to see him back in training. Stoneyford, Co. Kilkenny, was a port of call for racing last week with evergreen chairman, Bernard Feery, taking a top six finish and top Over-50 award. We have been joined by a number of new athletes who are very welcome to the club. This is the last reminder for member registration which is now well overdue.
Fethard Macra
Fethard Macra club members photographed at the recent county round of Dairy Stock judging in Cashel.
Dairy Stock judging took place on Sunday afternoon last on Michael Ryan's farm, just outside Cashel, with over eighteen people turning up from all over the county. We are delighted to say that Fethard Macra club had nine participants taken part. However, on the day there could only be two winners, with under 23 category going to Michael Bradshaw from the Dundrum club and our very own Steven Tierney for the senior category. Best to luck to both going forward for the national finals. Well done also to Michael Ryan for hosting the stock judging and to Josh Tobin as well.
The county round of the Tag Rugby competition will take place this Saturday, May 21, with a start time of 6.30pm and kick of at 7pm sharp, at Fethard Rugby Club, just outside Fethard on the Killenaule road. Thanks very much to the rugby club for the use of their pitches and facilities. Contact Liam Cleary on 086-3998711 for more information or check out the Fethard club’s Facebook page: ‘Fethard Macra’.
Our end of the month cinema night takes place on Wednesday, May 25, at Clonmel Cinema. The list of film choices we hope to go see will be up on Facebook on Monday night, so you can vote for what film you would like to see on Facebook
Fethard and Killusty Community Games
Fethard U10 boys football team beat Cahir by 2 points in the Community Games South semifinal. Back L to R: Danny Shelly, Andrew Connorton, Danny Hayes, Charlie Walsh, Paddy Ryan, Rory O’Mahoney, Sean McEvoy. Front L to R: Noah O’Flynn, Zach Smith, Gavin Neville, Criostóir Sheehy and Sami Laaksonen.
Congratulations and best wishes to the U12 girls’ football team who are due to play Cashel in the South final on Tuesday, May 17. Team Members are Grainne Murray, Katie Wyse, Rose O’Donnell, Kelly Ryan, Heather Spillane, Lily O’Mahony, Ciara O’Meara, Nicole Delaney, Kaycie Ahearne, Jessica Moloney, Isobel Maher, Aine Connolly, Emily Davey, Emily Spillane, Lucy Kenny and Aoife Harrington.
Fethard U12 girls football team who play Cashel in the South Final on May 17. Team Members are Grainne Murray, Katie Wyse, Rose O’Donnell, Kelly Ryan, Heather Spillane, Lily O’ Mahony, Ciara O’Meara, Nicole Delaney, Kaycie Ahearne, Jessica Moloney, Isobel Maher, Aine Connolly, Emily Davey, Emily Spillane, Lucy Kenny and Aoife Harrington.
Congratulations also to the U10 football who defeated Cahir in an exciting game on Saturday, May 14, in Cahir. They will go forward to the South final next weekend playing the winner of Cashel v Drangan. The boys’ team consists of Danny Hayes, Andrew Connorton, Charlie Walsh, Noah O’Flynn, Sami Laaksonen, Criostóir Sheehy, Gavin Neville, Danny Shelly, Zach Smith, Rory O'Mahony, Paddy Ryan and Sean McEvoy. Missing on the day were Killian Hallinan, T.J. Keane, Alex Butler and Ben Allen. The score was 5-5 to 4-6.
Best of Luck to
Inez Byrne and Katie Allen who are both entered for the county final of gymnastics which will take place in Monroe Sports Complex on Sunday next, May 22. While Isobel Maher, Aoibheann Collum, Hayden Fleming, Ronan and Mark O’Meara are all entered for the county finals of Swimming which will take place in Clonmel Pool. Isobel and Aoibheann will swim on Saturday, May 28, and the boys will be in action on Sunday, May 29. Entry fee for all individual events is € 2. Entries are now closed for these events.
County GAA finals will take place in Semple Stadium also on Saturday, May 28. Best of Luck to all.
Fethard & Killusty Community Lotto
The numbers drawn on May 11 were: 8, 12, 14 and 31. There was no jackpot winner and one ‘Match Three’ winner who received €150: Bill O'Sullivan, Main Street, Fethard.
The three ‘Lucky Dip’ winners who received €50 each were: Peter Kenny, The Green, Fethard; Michael Russell, c/o Seamus Maloney; and Marie Niland, c/o Anna Daly.
Next week’s draw takes place on Wednesday, May 18. The Jackpot is €10,000 and the Jackpot seller’s prize is €1,000. All proceeds go towards community projects in Fethard, and we thank you for your on-going support.
GAA Sports Development Lotto
The numbers drawn on Friday, May 13, were 16, 24, 31 and 33. There was no jackpot winner and no match three winner. The €50 lucky dip winner was Ger Lonergan, Rosegreen. The four drawn tickets who received €25 each were: Mick Smyth (snr) Burke Street; Tina O'Mahoney c/o Merrys; Cathal & Eoghan Hurley, Strylea; and Denis O'Meara, St. Patrick’s Place.
The next lotto draw will be held on Friday, May 20. The jackpot is €20,000 and the sellers prize is €740. Fethard GAA / Sports Centre Development Lotto would like to thank all our supporters, far and near, who participate in our weekly lotto draw to promote sport in our community.
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
This photograph is taken from a collection supplied by Richie Hayes, Burke Street, found in his bottom drawer. This one includes L to R: Maree (Hayes) Moclair, Kevin Hayes (Main Street) amd Annette (McCArthy) Murphy, Main Street. Maree thinks it was taken at Jimmy O'Sullivan's 21st birthday . . . a long long time ago!
This photo, also from Richie Hayes, was taken in the 1980s of Lizzie Burke and Catriona Hackett in their carefree days with nothing to worry about only homework!
Pádraig McCarthy, native to Main Street, Bansha, and now living in Rathfarnham, Dublin, solved the mystery of the above team with the following information.
This is a Galtee Rovers Hurling team of 1960 who played in West Tipperary and represented the Parish of Bansha & Kilmoyler. Their senior football team would be well known in Fethard GAA circles as the Galtees and Fethard have had many memorable football encounters down the decades. I can’t say where the photo was taken, though it could have been in the Barrack Field in Fethard but more likely at a venue in West Tipperary – possibly in Golden or in Seán Treacy Park, Tipperary Town, where Galtee Rovers often played championship matches.
The hurling team featured won the West Tipperary Junior hurling Championship of 1960 under the captaincy of Matt Nugent, Kilmoyler. The members of the team as shown in the photograph are as follows: Back row, L to R: Paddy Quinn, John Moloney, Charlie McGovern, Paddy Fanning, Tom (Toddie) O’Brien, Seán McGovern, Roger Roche, Larry Roche, Jimmy Quinn. Front Row, L to R: Michael O’Gorman, Gerry McGovern, Paddy Ferris, Matt Nugent (Captain), Seán Quinn, Martin Hanley, Denis Walsh, Con (Sonny) Marnane.
Best of luck with the website which must be envy of other localities, the photography is especially attractive and draws the reader to the site. Well done.
Best Regards,
Pádraig McCarthy,
67, Lower Dodder Road,
Rathfarnham, Dublin, 14.
Catherine Noonan (Cahir) posted this photo of her mum, Mary Ashby (nee McGrath), who lived in Burke Street. "She loved her home town of Fethard. I miss her dearly and all the stories she told of growing up in such a wonderful town."
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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