All Ireland Community and Council Awards

One of the interactive displays at Fethard Horse Country Experience – finalist in the 2018 All Ireland Community and Council Awards that will be announced at the Gala Awards Ceremony to be held in Croke Park on February 3.

Fethard Horse Country Experience is starting the New Year with wonderful news, they have made it to the finals of the 2018 All Ireland Community and Council Awards. The Awards presented by IPB Insurance and LAMA highlight and recognise communities and councils working together, bringing national recognition to projects and developments that may otherwise go unrecognised. Town, Borough, City and County Councillors across the island of Ireland nominate projects across 20 categories that demonstrate the work implemented through unique projects that enhance their local area for the good of the community.

Cathaoirleach of Carrick-on-Suir Municipal District, John Fahey nominated FHC Experience in the Best Tourism Initiative category sponsored by Fáilte Ireland. Manager, Shannon Forrest, states that it’s a fantastic achievement for a niche visitor attraction in its ninth month of operation to reach the Finals of a National Awards Event like this. Other nominees in this category are Munster Vales, Waterford Greenway and Seamus Heaney Homeplace.

The Gala Awards Ceremony will be held in Croke Park on February 3 with Marty Morrissey as host. We wish Fethard Horse Country Experience and the Fethard Business and Tourism CLG the very best of luck.

The Quakers of County Tipperary 1655–1924
'The Quakers of County Tipperary 1655 – 1924’ by Dr Michael (Mick) Ahern, is the January lecture from the Tipperary People and Places lecture of Clonmel and will take place in The Source, Thurles, on Tuesday, January 16, at 7.30pm.  

Never exceeding five hundred members at any given time, Tipperary Friends won an honoured place both in their own community and in the wider Quaker world.  They contributed greatly to the economic life of the community, aspired to live simply and plainly, be honest in their dealings.  They opposed violence of any kind and were always to the forefront in promoting charitable causes.

Michael Ahern admits to having a long obsession with the Quakers.  His publications include The Quakers of Co. Tipperary 1655 - 1924, Figures in a Clonmel landscape and Clonmel County Gaol.  All are welcome .  

For more details contact Mary/John at 0761 066 123 - studies@tipperarycoco.ie - FaceBook @tipperarystudies - Twitter @TippStudies

Magorban Candlelight Service

Photographed at the Magorban Candlelight Service are Back L to R: Niamh Hayes, Paul Hayes, Catherien Ryan. Front L to R: Anna Hayes, Danny Hayes and Billy Hayes

On Saturday, January 6, 2018, the Feast of the Epiphany, Cashel Union of Churches celebrated their annual Epiphany Readings and Carols by Candlelight at the Church of the Holy Spirit, Magorban. This annual service has proved most popular in recent years and attracts a large attendance from the surrounding areas. Next Service in the Church of the Holy Spirit, Magorban, will be 10am Sunday, January 28.


Photographed at the Magorban Candlelight Service are L to R: Mary Connors, Willie O’Donnell and Noreen Sheehy.


Photographed at the Magorban Candlelight Service are L to R: Pat O’Grady, Helen Guiry and Brian Guiry .


Members of the Fitzgerald family photographed at Magorban


Photographed at Magorban Service are L to R: Jean Farrelly, Barry O’Reilly, Dóirín Saurus and Fionn O’Reilly in front.

Social dancing at Fethard Ballroom
Fethard Ballroom continues its social dancing on this coming Sunday Night, January 14, to the music of ‘Sam O’Doherty’. 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.

Ladies Football AGM
Fethard Ladies Football Club will hold their Annual General Meeting on this Friday night, January 12, in the Tirry Community Centre, Barrack Street, at 8pm. Officers and selectors for the 2018 season will be elected on the night. Hope to see all our regular supporters and those interested in Ladies Football present on the night.

December Sports Achievement Award

Des O'Meara (centre), representing this month's sponsor, Sports Injury Clinic, Tullamaine, presenting the Butler's Bar Sports Achievement Award for December to joint winners Pat O'Donnell who accepted the award for Fethard U15 Girls Rugby Team, and Jessica Dowling (captain) who accepted the award on behalf of the Fethard Girls Minor Football Team.

The December Butlers Bar Fethard Sports Achievement Award was won by joint winners: Fethard Ladies U15 Rugby team – winners of the Munster League beating high profile St Marys in the final played at Thomond Park, Limerick; and Fethard Ladies Minor Footballers – County A Minor Champions beating arch rivals Aherlow in the final played at Monroe. This month’s awards were presented by Des O'Meara, representing this month's sponsor, Sports Injury Clinic, Tullamaine.


Des O'Meara (centre), representing this month's sponsor, Sports Injury Clinic, Tullamaine, photographed with joint-winners of the Butler's Bar Sports Achievement Award for December, members of the Fethard Girls Minor Football Team. Back L to R: Nell Spillane, Carrie Davey, Maggie Fitzgerald, Lucy Spillane, Ciara Hayes, Leah Coen. Front L to R: Megan Coen, Allison Connolly, Des O'Meara (sponsor), Jessica Dowling (captain) and Kate Davey.

This was the final monthly award for 2017 and the individual winners of each month will now go forward to the overall Sports Achievement Award for 2017 which will be announced at a special presentation function in Butler’s Bar on Friday, January 19. All are welcome to come along.

Newsletter still available
Copies of this year’s Fethard & Killusty Newsletter are still available for sale at the following local shops: Centra Supermarket (The Green), Annie’s Grocery (Burke Street); Daybreak Supermarket (Kerry Street), and Fethard Horse Country Experience (Town Hall, Main Street).

This year’s issue, costing €10, is receiving very good reviews from home and abroad, in particular for the interesting photographs and articles that span over 250 pages.

Fethard & Killusty Community Games
Fethard & Killusty Community Games would like to wish everybody a very Happy New Year. Please note the closing date for all team entries for the winter Games is Wednesday, January 10.

Team events on the Winter Games Programme include: Futsal, Badminton, Spikeball, Basketball, Tag Rugby, U11 Mini Rugby, Girls 7-a-side Soccer, Table Tennis, Chess, Draughts. Please contact Noreen 087-3184298 immediately for full details on age groups if you have anybody interested. These games are for both boys and girls except in 7-a-side Soccer where the events are for girls only at U12 and U15.

Sunday, February 18, is the date for the county finals of Swimming which will be held in Thurles Pool. Please contact Noreen as soon as possible about this as events will have to be sorted by the end of January.

Sunday, March 25, is the date for the county finals of Gymnastics which will be held in Moyle Rovers Sports Complex, Monroe.

County Board Meeting in Thurles
Wednesday, January 17, is date for the Community Games County Board Meeting in Thurles where the draw for all team events will take place.

Book Fair Coming Soon
The New Year has turned and the organisers of the 23rd annual Tipperariana Book Fair are getting ready for their fair in Fethard Ballroom on Sunday, February 11, next.

The committee have now started to get the word out there by every means possible so people can put the date in their calendar for that Sunday. Much the same organisational formula is followed every year, because it has worked well and, as the Americans say, “If it ain’t broke, then don’t fix it.”

Book Donations
A very important aspect of the fair is whereby people make donations of books to the organisers – the Fethard Historical Society – and those books are then sold on the day and this is one of the main fundraising aspects of the fair. It is also a great way to find a good home for a collection of books that may have come into your position in recent times or if you may just want to do some ‘de-cluttering’.

The organisers have also now established a relationship with The National Council for the Blind of Ireland (NCBI) whereby any books that are not sold on the day (or that are not being carried over to the following year) are in turn donated to the NCBI who then sell them in their very well organised charity shops (over 90) all over Ireland. The organisers of the Fethard Book Fair are very happy with this development as it is very much a ‘win win’ arrangement for everyone.

Making Contact
If anyone would like to donate books or who would like to help us prepare for the fair or help-out on the day then our contact details are as follows: email bookfair@fethard.com text or phone 087 9305232 or 087 9009722.

Membership for the year is €10 for a family and €7 for an individual.

The Late Tom Keane – 'The Strong Wall'

Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh (left), one of Ireland’s best known sports commentators, who made his first RTE broadcast on a Railway Cup match in 1949 is photographed above wearing Tom Keane's hat on April 4, 2008, when he called down in Cloneen to present Tom Keane with his 'missing' Railway Cup medal from that same year. Tom had never received his medal up to then due to a mix-up in venue for the presentation in Dublin back in 1949.

Forthright, intelligent, strong in life and faith, a great husband, father and son. Balanced, astute, with a clear mind, excelled at football for club, county and Munster. A great interest in nature, hunting, fishing, walking, known as ‘the strong wall’, the defender, awarded GAA player of the past.
Liked a modest bet on the horses, worked in Cork and Dublin, and for thirty-nine years on the railway in Fethard and Cahir. Had a trophy for the game of skittles.
Revered the mountain of Slievenamon, where he roamed as a youth. Played a large part, in his own way, in the Fethard community for quite a long time.
Passed away in his ninety-second year, May God rest his soul.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam. – (John Joe Keane)

Fethard Historical Society thirty years old in 2018
Fethard Historical Society will have a busy 2018 as they celebrate their 30th Anniversary of the founding of the society on March 23, 1988.

First item of the year will be the ‘Tipperariana Book of the Year for 2017’ award will have to be announced and presented in late January and the Book Fair organised and carried through on Sunday, February 11.

After that, the focus will turn to celebrating the 30th anniversary of a community group that has worked tirelessly over those thirty years to ‘cherish their home place’ and also to gain national recognition for the unique walled town of Fethard. All indications and especially the support coming from national agencies, show that it has been highly successful in its endeavours.

Apart from a special event to honour the ‘thirtieth birthday’ the society are also planning a three-day trip to Wales, especially to the town and area of Abergavenny in south Wales. It is from there that William de Braose came with his Norman knights to wrestle control of this part of South Tipperary from the century old rulers, the O’Briens of Thomond. William, whose family still had lands in France, was by all accounts a nasty bit of stuff and in fact was known as the ‘Ogre of Abergavenny’ and for very good reason too. He in turn, and his own wife and family, came to very sad endings when he fell foul of his overlord, King John of England.

Hopefully, this trip will take place in early summer and anyone generally interested in joining the trip should email: history@fethard.com or text or phone 087 7548877.

General Election of 1918 changed everything
The General Election of December 14, 1918 changed everything in the political landscape in Ireland and its anniversary will have to be marked. The extension of the voting franchise to all men over 21 and all women over 30 (!) in the United Kingdom (of which Ireland was a part) meant a huge increase in the electorate. Sinn Féin won 73 of the 110 Irish seats, proceeded to set up an Irish Parliament which led to the War of Independence and finally independence for 26 of the 32 counties of Ireland.

Contact and Membership
Anyone interested in joining the Fethard Historical Society can contact by email: history@fethard.com or text/phone 087 9009722.

Fethard Ballroom Christmas Party Night 2017

Photographed at Fethard Ballroom Christmas Party Night Dance in December are committee members L to R: Eileen Coady (treasurer) and Mary Richardson (band bookings 087 2387608).


Photographed at Fethard Ballroom Christmas Party Night Dance are L to R: Fr. Liam Everard P.P., Eileen Coady (treasurer), Canon Tom Breen A.P. and Mary Richardson (band bookings 087 2387608).


Photographed at Fethard Ballroom Christmas Party Night Dance are L to R: Mary Morrissey, Anne McCarthy and Ann Corbett.


Photographed at Fethard Ballroom Christmas Party Night Dance are old 'Foróige Youth Club' friends from the 1980s L to R: Peter Grant (Fethard) and Frank O'Dwyer (Carrick-on-Suir).

Photographed at Fethard Ballroom Christmas Party Night Dance are L to R: Jacqueline O'Gorman, Larry O'Gorman, Frank O'Dwyer and Sally O'Dwyer


Photographed at Fethard Ballroom Christmas Party Night Dance are L to R: Denis Fahey and Kay Fahey, Poulmucka.


Photographed at Fethard Ballroom Christmas Party Night Dance are L to R: Rita and Liam Ryan from Clonmel


Photographed at Fethard Ballroom Christmas Party Night Dance are L to R: Kate and Jimmy Horan, Tullamaine, Fethard.

Photographed at Fethard Ballroom Christmas Party Night Dance are L to R: Liam Sheehy, Noreen Sheehy and P.J. Henehan.


Photographed at Fethard Ballroom Christmas Party Night Dance are L to R: Tony and Kathleen Marshall from Kilsheelan.


Photographed at Fethard Ballroom Christmas Party Night Dance are L to R: Hanna Hayde and Austin Byrne


Photographed at Fethard Ballroom Christmas Party Night Dance are L to R: Betty and John Nugent, Fethard


Photographed at Fethard Ballroom Christmas Party Night Dance are L to R: Mary and Dinny Morrissey.


Photographed at Fethard Ballroom Christmas Party Night Dance are L to R: Caroline and Frank Burgess


Photographed at Fethard Ballroom Christmas Party Night Dance are L to R: Margaret and Kevin Coady.


Photographed at Fethard Ballroom Christmas Party Night Dance are L to R: Marie and Eddie O'Gorman


Photographed at Fethard Ballroom Christmas Party Night Dance are L to R: Seamus Barry, Pat Cleary and Paddy Hickey.


Photographed at Fethard Ballroom Christmas Party Night Dance are L to R: Kay and Bridget Fahey


Photographed at Fethard Ballroom Christmas Party Night Dance are L to R: Pat Butler and Nora Butler, Knocklofty.


Photographed at Fethard Ballroom Christmas Party Night Dance are L to R: Anna Hayde, Ann Quinn, Monica Croke, Margaret Burke, Dolores Costigan and Bernie Toomey.


Photographed at Fethard Ballroom Christmas Party Night Dance are L to R: Joan Ahearne and Martin Kennedy.


Artist Anne Quinn (centre), presenting one of her paintings that she kindly donated for the Ballroom Christmas Draw, to the lucky winners, sisters Jacinta (left) and Joanne Kearney.


Jim and Noel from 'Update' Contact Tel: 086 8237655 or 087 2514315

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 Presentation Convent 5th Year Students who made Christmas Cakes, December 1971. L to R: Bernadette Lawlor, Marie Carroll, Yvonne Maher, Miss A. Stephens (Domestic Science teacher), Angela Dunne, Anne Harrington and Kathleen Ryan.

Junior infant class at Nano Nagle School Fethard, December, 2003. Back L to R: Corey Carroll (Slievenamon Close); Bradley Phelan (Slievenamon Close); Sadhbh Horan (Tullamaine); Andrew Phelan (Coolmore); Luke Brastock (Strylea). Middle Row L to R: Ross McCormack (Woodvale Walk); Thomas O’Reilly (Barrack Street); Tony O’Reilly (Barrack Street); Connie Coen (Knockelly Road); Timothy Hurley (Slievenamon Close). Front L to R: Vanessa Pike (Woodvale Walk); Erica McGrath (Woodvale Walk); Joseph O’Connor (North Gate House); Rachel O’Meara (Garrinch); and Chloe Burke (Woodvale Walk). Missing from photo is Thomas Phelan (Slievenamon Close); Kyle McGrath (Slievenamon Close); and Nathan Thompson (St. Patrick’s Place).


Old school friends meeting up over Christmas in Lonergan's Bar on December 24, 2008, were L to R: Tom Grant, Sinead O'Brien, Jennifer Frewen and Caroline Croke.


Photographed with Santa at the Slievenamon Golf Club 'Christmas Party' on December 9, 2007, were Back L to R: Mary and Percy Butler, Majella and Michael Hayde. Front L to R: Laura Butler, Santa, Mark Hayde and Aileen Butler.

Photographed at the Christmas Party Night at the Castle Inn on December 22, 2008, were L to R: Tony Fennessy and Phil Tobin.

Christmas Hat Party in aid of the CRC (Central Remedial Clinic) in Burke's Bar, Fethard, December 2003


Judith and Marie Moclair at the Christmas Hat Party for CRC Santa Bear Appeal held in the Bridge Bar, Fethard, December 2003.


L to R: Johnny O’Connor, Phil Shee and John Shortall at the Christmas Hat Party for CRC Santa Bear Appeal held in the Bridge Bar, Fethard.


L to R: sisters Liz Kennedy and Lydia Kelly (wearing the winning hats) at the Christmas Hat Party for CRC Santa Bear Appeal. 2003


Lisa and Kari Laaksonen at the Christmas Hat Party for CRC Santa Bear Appeal held in the Bridge Bar, December 2003.


L to R: Dóirín Saurus, John Cooney and Liam Heffernan at the Hat Party, December 2003.


L to R: Mary Shanahan, Edwina Newport and Paul Shanahan at the Christmas Hat Party for CRC Santa Bear Appeal, 2003


L to R: Philomena Shee, Janneke van Dommelen and Suzanna Manton at the Christmas Hat Party for CRC Santa Bear Appeal held in the Bridge Bar, December 2003.


L to R: Ann Walsh, Gerard Manton and Mary Hanrahan at the Christmas Hat Party for CRC Santa Bear Appeal.


Bert van Dommelen and Joe Kenny at the Christmas Hat Party for CRC Santa Bear Appeal held in the Bridge Bar, Fethard, on Saturday night, December 27, 2003.


Bill O’Sullivan and Teresa Roche at the Christmas Hat Party for CRC Santa Bear Appeal held in the Bridge Bar, Fethard, December 2003.

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.

Share this page on Facebook