Cian Maher is Intermediate/Junior Footballer of the Year 2016 The Nationalist has just announced the South Tipperary GAA Players of the Year and we're happy to see that Cian Maher (Fethard) is among the award winners.
Now in the twilight of his career, Cian Maher was an integral part, not least as captain, in returning Fethard to Senior Football ranks last year. A County SF winner, while still under 21 in 2000, launched an Inter-County career the following year, with Cian involved in the Munster U21 Football Championship.
An ever-present on the Tipperary Senior Football panel between 2004-2008, Cian was part of Tipperary’s historic Tommy Murphy Cup triumph in Croke Park in 2005, has represented Tipperary in Intermediate Hurling (2009), and was the Tipperary Club in New York player of the year in their championship winning year in 2014.
Died Recently The death has occurred on Saturday, April 8, of Breda Sheehan (née Neville), Derryluskin, Fethard. Deeply regretted by her husband Michael, her daughter Audrey, her son Kenneth, her mother Joan, grandchildren Amelia, Jessica and James, brother Seamus, sisters Theresa, Margaret and Majella, son-in-law John Paul, daughter-in-law Mary, relatives, neighbours and friends. May she rest in peace.
Reposing at home on Sunday, April 9, from 5pm to 8pm. Funeral Mass in the Church of the Sacred Heart, Killusty, on Monday, April 10, at 11am followed by burial in the adjoining cemetery. Family flowers only please. Donations if desired to the Irish Cancer Society / Tipperary Hospice.
Holy Trinity National School's 'Challenge to Change'
Well done to Fethard Holy Trinity National School teachers and pupils on this year's 'Challenge to Change' project and also their fantastic video presentation produced to highlight 'Homelessness'.
Challenge to Change is a development education project aimed at young people attending Presentation Sisters' Primary and Post-Primary schools. The vision of the project is driven by the Presentation charism and ethos which embraces the challenge of working with those who are marginalised and excluded, for whatever reason.
Justice, human rights, sustainability and promoting right relationships are central to the Presentation mission. Collaboration with the Presentation network, through linkages with Presentation schools abroad, is encouraged. By informing the students and the wider community the project will bring about a heightened awareness, a social consciousness, a broader vision and an appreciation of development issues.
Anglers blessed with a beautiful spring day
Winner of the Fethard & Killusty Anglers senior event was Fethard man, Colm Hackett (left), receiving his trophy from club chairman, Tom Fogarty.
Fethard and Killusty Anglers held their annual competition on Sunday, April 2, with a great turn and blessed with a beautiful spring day. It was fantastic to see several new anglers at the competition and the great feedback we received on how beautiful the Anner and Clashawley are, which will encourage them all to return again.
Fethard & Killusty Anglers photographed at the presentation of prizes after their annual competition held on Sunday, April 2, on the Anner and Clashawley rivers in beautiful weather.
The deserved winner of the senior event was Fethard man, Colm Hackett, 2nd was Noel Doherty and 3rd was Seán Maher. The winner of the Juvenile section was, Robert Hackett, 2nd was Jack Maher, and 3rd Conor Cagney. Largest trout was also won by Robert Hackett – closely contested by his father Colm Hackett. 2017 is definitely the year of the Hacketts. Thanks to all who supported the competition and especially to the landowners for allowing access to these beautiful rivers.
Just a reminder that Fethard and Killusty Anglers will host the 2017 Munster Juvenile Flyfishing championship for the first time on Saturday, April 15. Any members able to help out on that day please contact Colm Hackett or Seán Maher for details. And as usual, anyone wishing to join the club can also contact Colm Hackett on 086 8397868, or Sean Maher on 085 7050580. Tight lines for 2017 and get out and enjoy every moment on the river.
‘Walk on Wednesday’ re-launched at Holy Trinity National School
Pupils from Fethard’s Holy Trinity National School taking part in the re-launched ‘WOW’ (Walk On Wednesdays) school project, part of the school’s aim to achieve their 4th Green Flag.
Walk on Wednesday was re-launched at Holy Trinity National School, Fethard, on Wednesday, March 29, with great success. Pupils, parents and guardians were encouraged to travel to school in a 'green' way – walk, park 'n' stride, car-pool, cycle or travel by bus. This is all part of the school’s aim to achieve their 4th Green Flag, for travel, but it also has many benefits for both pupils and adults alike, offering exercise, fewer safety concerns due to better skills for walking and cycling, benefits for the environment, less congestion at the school and improved freedom of choice, independent travel for pupils to name but a few! Many thanks to all the children, parents and guardians who made the effort on the wet morning to ensure ‘WOW’ was a success. Many thanks to teachers Mrs Gleeson and Ms Geachy, for all their work promoting the Green School Initiative.
Fethard Rugby Club ‘Race Night’
Fethard Rugby Club are holding a Race Night in McCarthys Hotel on Saturday April 15, at 9pm, your support would be greatly appreciated. You can buy a horse to run on the night for €10, place an add in the race card for €50 half page, a full page for €100 or sponsor a race for €50. Any support offered is very welcome. Please contact Tel: 086 8388205.
Handwriting Finals
Brothers Mark and Ronan O Meara, Red City, Fethard who were both medal winners in the Community Games handwriting county finals. Mark won gold in the U12 handwriting final for Tipp in Thurles last Saturday. This was Mark’s third successive year to win gold for Tipperary. Ronan won silver in the U10 handwriting, competing against 10 year olds, although only 7 years old himself.
Fethard & Killusty Community Games won three of the four county finals of Handwriting held in Presentation Convent, Thurles on Saturday last. The gold medal winners were: Marissa Meagher and Micheál O’Rahilly (U10) and Mark O’Meara (U12), with a silver medal won by Ronan O’Meara and a bronze medal by Emily Davey. Dara O’Meara, Killusty, won bronze in U14 Art. This was a great result for the area.
Marissa and Micheál will join the O’Meara brothers on the list of those representing Tipperary at the National finals where they boys earlier qualified for the swimming event, which will take place in Abbotstown on May 6. The Handwriting events take place in August.
Social dancing at Fethard Ballroom
Dancing at Fethard Ballroom on Sunday Night, April 9, to the music of ‘Images’. Music on Easter Sunday night, April 16, will be provided by the very popular ‘Dave Rea’. All are 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.
Green residents Long-time residents, Austy and Mary Slattery, photographed outside their home at the Back Green, Fethard, where they have lived happily for sixty years.
Sports Achievement Award nominees for March
The following nominees were received for the Butlers Bar Fethard Sports Achievement Award for March. The winner will be announced at a special presentation in Butler’s Bar on this Friday night, April 7, at 10pm.
Liz Lalor – Horse trainer Liz produced the first double of her training career when her charges ‘Nicats Benefit’ and ‘De Rasher Counter’ won the Maiden Hurdle and the Bumper respectively at Clonmel on March 21.
Bernard Feery – Some fine performances from Bernard during March included a 3rd place finish in his category in the Ballycotton ‘10’ as well as Bronze medals over 50 in the 1500m and 3000m All Ireland Masters.
Miceál McCormack – Three medals for Miceál at the national masters held in Athlone with silver medals in the 3000k walk, shot putt and 28lb weight.
Presentation Patrician Secondary School – Schools’ Spikeball teams recently participated with distinction at the All Ireland Schools Competition. The girls team were beaten in a semifinal with the boys exiting at quarter-final stage.
Aobh Ní Shé – Gold medallist at the Irish open championships held in Derry, Aobh was also named Judoka of the year at UCC as well as being named captain for 2017.
Rose O’Brien – Bronze medal for Rose in the 60m U9 at the county indoor championships held in Nenagh.
Lizzie O’Brien – Rose’s sister, Lizzie also won bronze for the U11, 300m at the county championships held in Nenagh.
Sarah Moore – Silver medal winner in Community Games Gymnastics U11 held in Monroe.
Ronan O'Meara – Gold medal County Community Games U8 50m swimming held at Thurles pool.
Mark O’Meara – Gold medal County Community Games U12 50m swimming held at Thurles pool.
Isobel Maher – Silver medal County Community Games U14 50m swimming.
William Colville – Gold medal County Community Games U10 25m swimming
Patrick Colville – Gold medal County Community Games U12 25m swimming.
Fethard Players ‘Brush With a Body’
Opening night at The Abymill with 'Brush With a Body' on April 4. The comedy play continues every night at 8.15pm up to Saturday, April 8. Booking at Fethard Post Office Tel: (052) 6131217. L to R: Mia Treacy (Cynthia Walling), Jimmy O'Sullivan (Henry Walling), Mary O'Connell (Mrs D'Arcy), John Fogarty (Detective Inspector Hardy), Marian Gilpin (Sybil Walling) and Niamh Hayes (Sarah Walling)
Fethard Players commenced their comedy production of Maurice McLoughlin’s ‘Brush With a Body’ on Tuesday, April 4, to capacity audience and will continue their five-night run up to Saturday, April 8, in the Abymill Theatre, starting at 8.15pm.
There are still seats available towards the weekend but early booking is advised to avoid disappointment. Contact Fethard Post Office, Main Street, or telephone (052) 6131217 during office hours, or Tel: 087 9336791, out of office hours. Tickets are €15.
Opening night at The Abymill with 'Brush With a Body'– L to R: Marian Gilpin (Sybil Walling) and Niamh Hayes (Sarah Walling)
Opening night at The Abymill with 'Brush With a Body' – L to R: Jimmy O'Sullivan (Henry Walling) and Jane Hayes (Rosita Hernandez).
Opening night at The Abymill with 'Brush With a Body' – L to R: Mia Treacy (Cynthia Walling), Liam O'Connor (Mr Flaherty) and John Fogarty (Detective Inspector Hardy).
Historical Society AGM and Lecture
The Fethard Historical Society held their AGM on Tuesday, March 28, in the Abymill Theatre, which was well attended and was followed by Dr. Barry O’Reilly giving a talk on ‘Hamlets of Tipperary’.
The AGM was very well attended this year, which may be a reflection on the ‘historical enthusiasm’ generated by the national 1916 Commemorations last year and also the local Society’s very full programme of events during 2016. As well as commemorating the 1916 Centenary with lectures, exhibitions and a bus outing to Dublin, the Society also organised local outings to such places as Kilmaclugh graveyard situated on Grove Estate, Killurney Gardens and to Fr Sheehy’s grave in Shanrahan near Clogheen. Fr Sheehy, always stated to be a native of Fethard, was ‘hung, drawn and quartered’ in Clonmel at the end of the Penal Law period in 1766, over two hundred and fifty years ago. The society wanted to acknowledge and remember those unhappy times.
The society also continued, with the support of the Heritage Council, to provide free guided tours of Medieval Fethard to local primary schools in Fethard parish, and also Powerstown, Cashel (boys school), Drangan and Killurney. During Heritage Week in August last year the society also organised two free guided tours for the general public.
The ever-popular Tipperariana Book Fair, now in its twenty-second year, along with the associated ‘Tipperariana Book of the Year’ event were again organised successfully in February. The AGM again noted the vital importance of the Fethard Ballroom to the success of the annual Book Fair and it was very much hoped that plans to ensure its survival will be successful.
Lecture on ‘Settlements’ in the Irish landscape
In Ireland most attention is paid to the foundation and development of towns by the Vikings, Normans and later by the English and Scottish planters, but in his talk, Dr. Barry O’Reilly turned the audience’s attention to ‘Irish settlements’, which were and are, clusters of three or more homesteads scattered across the countryside, especially along the west coast of the country. The best examples of ‘farming settlements’ still in existence are in South Kilkenny between the N24 and the River Suir, just south of Mooncoin. Here you can have up to seven of eight family-places all clustered together in one tight spot, which ensured that ‘good neighbourly relations’ were a very vital factor of everyday life!
Barry also stated that the most famous ‘settlement’ in Ireland was probably the Claddagh fishing village, now part of Galway city, which gave its name to the famous Claddagh ring. The Claddagh was a large, highly populated settlement with hundreds of thatched cottages all arranged in a ‘higgledy–piggledy’ way that didn’t seem to have any definite pattern, but which worked of course. The Claddagh area was all cleared away in the middle of the last century to make room for modern corporation housing estates.
The evening finished with refreshment and some further conversations. For anyone interested in the activities of the Fethard Historical Society, we can be contacted by email at: history@fethard.com or by phone at 087 9009722 or 086 3905373.
Time for a chat! Retired teacher Paddy Broderick having a chat with Eileen Jacob (Heffernan) in Fethard recently. Eileen is the only daughter of Paddy and Joan Heffernan, from Ballyvaden, Fethard. L to R: Sinead Jacob, Maura Heffernan, Paraic Heffernan, Paddy Brodrick and Eileen Jacob (Heffernan).
Fethard & Killusty Community Lotto
The numbers drawn on March 29, were: 4, 8, 18 and 26. There was no jackpot winner and no ‘Match Three’ winners so the following drawn tickets received €50 each: Carmel Murphy, Crampscastle, Fethard; Yvonne Lawlor, Killenaule; and Bridget Cooney, Rathdrum, Fethard.
The following three ‘Lucky Dip’ winners also received €50 each: Noreen Allen, Cashel Road, Fethard; Carmel Gahan, Cloneen, Fethard; and Marie Butler, Garrinch, Fethard.
Next week’s draw takes place on Wednesday, April 5. 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, March 31, were 2, 14, 22 and 24. There was no jackpot winner and one match three winner who received €100: Patsy Lawrence, Woodvale Walk, Fethard. Two Lucky Dip Winners won €25 each: Coco Barlaz, Ard Alainn, Fethard; and Chris Coen, Strylea, Fethard.
The next draw takes place on Friday, April 7, when the jackpot is €20,000 and the sellers prize is €1,000.
Fethard GAA Club will hold their Annual Social in Cahir House Hotel on Easter Saturday, April 15, starting at 8pm. Music by ‘Super Soul Machine’, followed by D.J. Kumar. Tickets are now available from members at €35 each.
We ask for your voting support and best wishes for the Fethard Patrician Presentation Secondary School’s Junk Kouture qualifying entry, ‘The Lone Rhino’, in the ‘Grand Final’ which will be held in the ‘3 Arena’, Dublin on April 27.
This is the seventh year of the Junk Kouture 'fashion from trash' competition where over a thousand outfits are made in secondary schools all over the country. Eighty outfits are selected through a photo entry and are then shown on the catwalk in four regional heats held in Dublin, Derry, Limerick and Castlebar. Twenty outfits from each region are then chosen to go forward to the Grand Final of the competition in the ‘3 Arena’ in Dublin on April 27, 2017.
An online voting system, through Facebook, secures 10% of their final marks. This online vote is open from 9am on April 3, to midnight April 14, via the Bank of Ireland Students Facebook page.
Fethard Players rehearse ‘Brush With a Body’
Annual GAA Social on Easter Saturday Fethard GAA Club will hold their Annual Social in Cahir House Hotel on Easter Saturday, April 15, starting at 8mm. Music by Super Soul Machine followed by D.J. Kumar. Tickets are now available from members at €35 each.
Golf Classic at Slievenamon Golf Club
Photographed at the launch of the Patrician Presentation Golf Classic at Slievenamon Golf Club are staff members L to R: Michael O’Gorman, Justin McGree, Denis Burke (retired), Pamela O’Donnell (Parents’ Association), MIchael O’Sullivan (Principal), Noel Maher and Ian O’Connor. The ‘Three-ball Champagne Scramble’ will take place on Friday, May 12, and Saturday, May 13, at Slievenamon Golf Club.
Patrician Presentation Secondary School will hold a ‘Three-ball Champagne Scramble’ at Slievenamon Golf Club on Friday, May 12, and Saturday, May 13. The event is to help fundraise further sports equipment and improve drama provisions at the school. This is an important fund-raising event for the school and your support would be very much appreciated. It will also provide an opportunity to meet up with old friends and acquaintances and enjoy a game of golf in beautiful surroundings.
We have great prizes on offer for Best Team (male), Best Team (female), Best Team (mixed), Best Team (non GUI), Nearest the Pin (par 3), and Longest drive. The cost per team of three is €75 and this includes refreshments at the clubhouse. Should you be unable to field a team, you can also support the event by having your name on a tee box for €50 or by sponsorship of prizes where names would be displayed prominently on the first tee box. For registration (timesheet) and any queries that you may have, please contact the school on (052) 6131572 or by email: fethardgolfclassic@gmail.com
Pre-Baptism meeting
The next Pre-Baptism meeting will take place in the Tirry Community Centre on Wednesday, April 19, at 7.30pm, for parents who wish to have their child baptised during the following weeks. Meetings are held subject to demand. Please contact Fr. Tom Breen P.P. prior to attending. Tel: (052) 6131178.
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
Fethard Festival in the GAA Field with all the 'Glamorous Grannies' lining up to be interviewed (June 1984)
Fancy Dress 'At The Derby' Fethard Festival June 1984
Fancy Dress 'Milk's The One!' Fethard Festival June 1984
Fancy Dress 'The Tallaght By-Pass' Fethard Festival June 1984
Fancy Dress ‘The Smurfs visit Fethard Parade' Fethard Festival June 1984
Marion (McCarthy) O'Connor at the Fethard Festival baby show (June 1984)
Eddie and Mary Sheehan at the Fethard Festival baby show (June 1984)
Fancy Dress 'Boy George Comes to Town' by Wendy Allen at Fethard Festival June 1984
Fancy Dress 'Indian Chief' Fethard Festival June 1984
Fancy Dress – a bit of Irish Culture from Kerry Street at the Fethard Festival June 1984
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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The Nationalist has just announced the 
The death has occurred on Saturday, April 8, of Breda Sheehan (née Neville), Derryluskin, Fethard. Deeply regretted by her husband Michael, her daughter Audrey, her son Kenneth, her mother Joan, grandchildren Amelia, Jessica and James, brother Seamus, sisters Theresa, Margaret and Majella, son-in-law John Paul, daughter-in-law Mary, relatives, neighbours and friends. May she rest in peace.
