A Troubadour Comes to Town
Photographed at Seán Tyrrell's 'Message of Peace' Show in the Abymill Theatre Fethard are L to R: Seán Tyrrell, Terry Cunningham and Dr. Martin Mansergh.
Seán Tyrrell gave a mesmerising performance in the Abymill Theatre, Fethard last Saturday, August 19. The Fethard Historical Society was delighted to welcome old friends such as Dr. Martin Mansergh, as well as Mary Alice O’Connor and Jeremiah Long from the Excel in Tipperary Town. Shannon Forrest, FHC Experience, and her mother Sheila came along to support us and Shannon was most impressed with her first visit to the Abymill.
We were also very pleased to have so many new faces in the audience specially two gentleman who had travelled down from Co. Kildare. FHS stalwarts, Martin and Helena O’Shea told us they came to relive memories of listening to Seán Tyrell in McGoverns Pub in New York back in the 1980s.
Photographed at Seán Tyrrell's 'Message of Peace' Show in the Abymill Theatre Fethard are L to R: Kieran McHugh, his sister Helena O'Shea, John O'Shea and Martin O'Shea.
For those of us who didn’t know what to expect it was a revelation as Sean performed his ‘Message of Peace’, the life of Sean Boyle O’Reilly, told in song and story. As someone said afterwards it was a return to the days of the Seanachaí weaving magic with words, who holds his audience in the palm of his hand.
Sean Boyle O’Reilly was born in Dowth, Co. Meath in 1844 and his life reads like a work of fiction: a member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood, sentenced to penal servitude in Australia, the first Irishman to escape from the penal colony in Fremantle, settling in America and becoming the most influential Irishman of his day. A charismatic, larger than life figure, he became an outspoken defender of the rights of both the native American Indians and of African Americans, and also spoke out against anti-semitism. He was commissioned by Joseph Pulitzer to write a poem for the unveiling of the Statue of Liberty. He died at the relatively young age of 56 and a monument ‘ the size of a small house’ marks his final resting place in Holyhood Cemetery, Brookline, Massachusetts . When John F. Kennedy addressed the Dáil in 1963 he quoted the words of John Boyle O’Reilly.
Photographed at Seán Tyrrell's 'Message of Peace' Show in the Abymill Theatre Fethard are L to R: Sheila Forest, Michael Bourke and Shannon Forest.
Photographed at Seán Tyrrell's 'Message of Peace' Show in the Abymill Theatre Fethard are L to R: David O'Rourke (Monasterevin), Brian Hanrahan and Richard O'Rourke (Monasterevin).
Photographed at Seán Tyrrell's 'Message of Peace' Show in the Abymill Theatre Fethard are L to R: Joan Hayes, Liam Hayes, Catherine Croke and Liam Croke.
Photographed at Seán Tyrrell's 'Message of Peace' Show in the Abymill Theatre Fethard are L to R: Terry Cunningham, Mary Alice O’Connor and Jeremiah Long.
Sean Tyrrell brought all the passion of the true musician to his telling of the tale, bringing his hero to life in an amazing performance that never once flagged. As his encore, Seán played ‘Ballyroan’ especially for the gentlemen from Kildare. The audience accorded him a standing ovation in tribute to a superb performance.
We would like to thank everyone who joined us in the Abymill Theatre for our celebration of the 150th Anniversary of the Fenian Rising of 1867. A special souvenir booklet, detailing the stories of our own local Fethard heroes, Michael Doheny and Thomas Francis Bourke, was presented to everyone in the audience.
Joe Keane retires from Fethard Tidy Towns
Joe Keane photographed at the launch of Fethard Tidy Towns 'Green Dog Walkers' campaign at Fethard Tirry Community Centre back in 2014 Back L to R: Geraldine McCarthy (Supervisor Fethard Day Care Centre ), Eamon Kennedy (Fethard Tidy Towns), Joan O'Donohoe (Supervisor Fethard Community Employment Scheme). Front L to R: Joe Keane (Chairman Fethard Tidy Towns), dog owners Margaret Walsh and Thelma Griffith.
Fethard & Killusty Community Council wish to congregate and acknowledge the years of service and dedication to Fethard Tidy Towns by Joe Keane who will step down from his position as chairman on September 1, for personal commitments and a well-earned rest from community work.
A meeting to re-establish Fethard Tidy Towns was held on October 5, 2009, attended by special guests from Emly winners of the overall Tidy Towns National Competition that year. Speaking at the meeting, Denis Heffernan emphasised the importance of being positive at all times and suggested an overall professional plan for the town would be a very good starting point. On the night names of those interested in forming a committee were taken and it was decided to call a further meeting at a later date to form a new committee.
Joe Keane then took over as chairman and under his leadership, took the group to a higher level with the guidance of a three-year work plan prepared by Frank Donaldson Tourism & Heritage Consultancy and then re-entering Fethard in the National Tidy Towns Competition in 2010, after an absence of many years.
In the following years, Joe raised the standard with the help of a dedicated voluntary work crew and assistant from the Community Employment Scheme and Tús. Included in his achievements while chairman, is the much-used ‘Harrington Walkway’ which allows safe pedestrian access from Congress Terrace to Jesuits Walk. This long-term objective was achieved with the very generous cooperation of Mary Harrington and her family, and the support of South Tipperary Council who erected the fence and laid a suitable surface to walk.
One of the other main achievements during Joe’s chairmanship was the development of the park at Fethard Playground. With the superb support from Coolmore Stud, who supplied the necessary machinery, labour and trees, we now enjoy a beautiful park, surrounding our Children’s Playground and Sensory Park, recently voted one of the top 50 playgrounds in Ireland. This is a lovely area and enjoyed by many locals and visitors and the walkway also links the town with Monroe for safer pedestrian access.
Visitors to the town have also commented favourable of the tidiness of the town and the introduction of the many colourful planters placed around the town, which flower from year to year with only little maintenance. Joe, with kind permission, used the old cattle mart as a base for his gardening work and this site has proved a valuable base for growing and cultivating an on-going supply of flowers and shrubs for Fethard Tidy Towns. Hopefully, this will continue to be available for the indefinite future.
On behalf of the Fethard & Killusty Community Council and people of Fethard, we take this opportunity to thank Joe sincerely for his service to Fethard Town while under the umbrella of Fethard Tidy Towns and the many other community organisations he was involved in over his years living in Fethard with his late wife Ann. We wish him well and good health in his next venture and his future life and we’re very confident that Joe’s unique style of getting things done will continue whatever he puts his mind to. We will miss him in Fethard and can only hope and strive to maintain the high standards he has already planted.
Eagerly awaited Coolmoyne School Reunion
Coolmoyne National School Confirmation Class in 1953. Back L to R: Annie Coady, Christy Walsh, Michael Croke (Redcity), Bernie Flanagan, David O’Meara. Front L to R: Ita O Dwyer, Gretta Egan, Catherine Bergin, Eileen Morrissey, Noelle Maher and Marie O’Meara.
Tickets for the eagerly awaited Coolmoyne School Reunion are now on sale at Fethard Post Office. The reunion will take place on Saturday, September 9, commencing with the option of attending mass at 7pm in Holy Trinity Parish Church followed by a ‘Meal, Music and Memories’ in Fethard Ballroom at 8pm sharp. There is a big interest in this reunion so please purchase your ticket as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
This reunion is not restricted to only past pupils so we invite anybody who would like to attend and to come along and enjoy a relaxing evening in the company of their friends and neighbours. All are very welcome. Tickets costing €20 are available from any of the following: Sean O’Donovan 086-2594337, Catherine O’Connell 086-3525743, Maura O’Connell 087-9739027 (Killenaule), Kay Lyons 086-3429383, or Joan Leahy Ryan (062) 62872 (Cashel).
The reunion will conclude with a gathering in Coolmoyne Ball Alley on Sunday afternoon, September 10, where people can again renew old friendships and view the items on display from our schooldays. Taking into considering that this is the golden jubilee of the closure of the school, the weekend promises to be a real ‘blast from the past’. Commerative booklets are currently being prepared. Please make a date in your diary for September 9.
Social dancing at Fethard Ballroom
Dancing at Fethard Ballroom on Sunday Night, August 27, to the music of ‘Peter Burke’. 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.
Killusty Show winners do well at Dublin Horse Show
Emily Sayers riding her 6-year-old gelding ‘Forest Guy’, by Loughahoe Boy, at this year’s Dublin Horse Show.
Congratulations to Emily Sayers, Fethard, on her great performance at the recent Dublin Horse Show where she finished fourth in her class with her six-year-old gelding ‘Forest Guy’. Emily is one of the many local participants at the annual Killusty Show and it is great to see them go on and do well at national level.
Imelda O’Donnell, with her lovely mare ‘Miss Nell Gwynne’ is another of these ladies that won their respective classes at the Killusty Show in July and we wish them well in their future events.
Shannon Sheridan has also qualified for the ‘Horse of the Year’ show in London, which will take place in October. Shannon will compete in the working hunter class and we also wish her the best of luck. It is great to see our local Killusty Show continue to produce successful horses and riders. Long may it last!
Died Recently
 The death has occurred on Friday, August 25, 2017, of Thomas Ronan, The Paddocks, Rocklow, Fethard, at South Tipperary General Hospital, Clonmel, surrounded by his family. Beloved husband of Dorothy and loving father to Paul, Pamela, Rosemary, Dorothy and Thomas. Very sadly missed by his grandchildren, sons and daughters-in-law, nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. May he rest in peace.
Funeral to arrive at the Holy Trinity Parish Church, Fethard, on Saturday, August 26, at 8pm. Funeral Mass on Sunday at 11am followed by burial in Calvary Cemetery. House private. Family flowers only please.
Fethard Rugby Club
Fethard seniors are in action next Friday evening for their first match of the new season when they play Cill Dara at 7.30pm in Fethard. We look forward to the new season and this year we will have a first and seconds senior team. The 18s, 16s and 14s will be back in action shortly and mini-rugby starts back on September 8. Our strong girls section also continues to grow. New members are always welcome at all levels and experience.
Coffee Morning on Friday September 1
A Coffee Morning will be held in Fethard Town Hall on Friday, September 1, from 10am to 1pm in aid of The Irish Pilgrimage Trust – a registered charity in Ireland for the past 40 years. The Trust travels on pilgrimage and on holiday to Lourdes with young people with special needs, from all over Ireland.
Donations will be taken on the day and there will also be a raffle to support the fundraising cycle to Lourdes on Good Friday, 2018. This is a seven-day cycle totalling 1,200 km. Cards for the raffle are available from Kenny's Centra, Meagher's Daybreak or from Kevin Coffey.
Third time lucky for Mark at National Finals
Mark O’Meara holding his silver medal won in the boys U12 Handwriting event at the Aldi Community Games National Finals.
Congratulations to Mark O’Meara who made it third time lucky winning a silver medal in boys U12 Handwriting event at the Aldi Community Games National Finals. Mark previously represented Tipperary in Handwriting in 2016 and Swimming in 2017. Mark and his brother Ronan are two talented young boys who participate in a wide range of events. Well done to all.
Fethard Folk Art in Stone
Thursday evening next, August 24, will see archaeologist Dr Louise Nugent leading an intriguing walk around Fethard, looking at examples of ‘folk art in stone’ that exist from medieval times and others that were ‘carried out’ right up into the 1800s.
Dr. Nugent, a Tipperary native, is the founder of the Irish Folk Art Project and has received funding from the County Tipperary Heritage Officer to carry out a photogrammetry of some of the very fine examples of folk art (which often go unseen) in Fethard and other locations in Tipperary. To find out more about the project visit www.Irishfolkartproject.wordpress.com
The walk-about will begin at the Town Hall at 8pm, will last about one hour, cost is €5 per adult and tea/coffee will be served afterwards in the ICA Hall.
The evening is part of the Fethard Historical Society’s ‘three event’ contribution to National Heritage Week, which runs up to Sunday, August 27. The first Heritage Week event took place on Saturday night last, August 19, and was a wonderful Fenian Anniversary show with Seán Tyrrell presenting his ‘Message of Peace’ presentation in song and story, at the Abymill Theatre.
Guided Tour of Medieval Fethard at 2.30pm on Saturday
The third event is the ever-popular Guided Tour of the Medieval Quarter of Fethard. The tour - of interest to locals and visitors alike – will take place on Saturday afternoon, August 26, meeting at The Footbridge in the Valley Park at 2.30pm. The tour will include a visit to the Town Wall, old Holy Trinity Church and the Augustinian Abbey. The fee is €3 per adult and a special price of €5 for a family, so as to encourage young people to get to know their home place.
Further information, if needed, can be got from history@fethard.com and Tel: 086 3905373.
FHC Experience Open Evening for Heritage Week
Join us for an evening of music, horse and history in the recently restored C17th Tholsel building. Fethard Horse Country Experience will open late from 7pm - 9pm on Friday, August 25, with Free Entry for all and an informal recital by local harpist Margaret Anne Geehan. Celebrate Heritage Week in Tipperary's latest addition to Ireland's Ancient East! www.fhcexperience.ie 052 6130439
Fethard & Killusty Community Lotto
The numbers drawn on August 16, were: 2, 16, 25 and 31. There was no jackpot winner and no ‘Match Three’ winners so the following drawn tickets received €50 each: Catriona Boland, Drangan; Brian Sheehy, Garrinch, Fethard; and D. Shine (online ticket).
The following three ‘Lucky Dip’ winners also received €50 each: John Carroll, Lonergans Bar, Fethard; Brendan Breen, Fethard; and Louise McGrath, Rathcoole, Fethard.
Next week’s draw takes place on Wednesday, August 23. 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, August 18, were: 11, 16, 20 and 22. There was no jackpot winner and one match three winner who received €100: Mary Ward, Clonmel. Two lucky dip tickets won €25 each: Kieran Butler, Kilknockin; and Paddy O'Flynn, Chicago.
The next draw takes place on Friday, August 25, when the jackpot is €20,000 and the sellers prize is €1,000. The committee of Fethard GAA/Sports Centre Development Lotto would like to thank all our supporters near and far who participate in our weekly lotto draw. The funds raised are used to promote sport in the local community.
Fethard Annual Emigrant's Newsletter
Work on the production of this year's Annual Emigrant's Newsletter has now commenced. We invite anyone interested in submitting articles or photographs for this year’s issue to contact Joe Kenny, Rocklow Road, Fethard, Tel: (052) 6131663 or by email: newsletter@fethard.com
We are very much aware that some people find it difficult to put pen to paper but have very interesting stories to tell. So if it helps, we can arrange to have someone call and interview you at your own convenience. Help is always needed gathering articles and photographs, indeed, one of the most time-consuming chores is trying to put captions to photographs with correct names. Other ways people can help is interviewing, writing articles, typing or inviting others to write articles in good time for publication.
The first issue of the Fethard & Killusty Emigrants' Newsletter was published in December 1959 (dated 'Christmas 1960'). On checking the dates of the events and deaths featured in the newsletter we discovered that they all happened in 1959 so we concluded that the Newsletter was published in December 1959 and posted in January 1960. This very 'first newsletter' was discovered in a drawer by Pat Shine, formerly from Crampscastle and now living in London. We send our sincere sympathy to Pat on the death of his wife, the late Josie Shine (née Murphy), who died on May 12, 2017.
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 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 fethardnews@gmail.com or delivered by hand to Joe Kenny, Rocklow Road, Fethard.
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