Local priest supports former President Mary McAleese
Many readers will be familiar with the controversy which erupted recently following the barring of former President Mary McAleese from participating in the Voices of Faith conference to mark International Women’s Day, when it was scheduled to take place at the Vatican, and then moved to the Aula of the Jesuit Curia in Rome.

Some of the fallout featured on the RTE flagship programme, The Late Late Show, in the days following the controversy. The prior of the local Augustinian Abbey, Fr Iggy O'Donovan OSA (a Glen of Aherlow native), featured on a panel which debated the McAleese kerfuffle. He was joined in the discussion by Kildare priest, Fr Paul Dempsey.

In the somewhat animated debate that followed, Fr O'Donovan strongly supported the stance adopted by Mrs McAleese who, he described as, "an engaged and committed member of the Church.”
On the question of whether women should be admitted to the priesthood, Fr Dempsey said, “It was a complex issue which did not allow for a simple ‘yes or no’ answer.”

Fr Iggy O'Donovan, on the other hand, when asked the same question replied, with a clear ‘yes’. He was also strongly critical of the decision of Irish born Cardinal, Fr. Kevin Farrell to censor Mrs McAleese.

Social dancing at Fethard Ballroom
Fethard Ballroom continues its social dancing on this coming Sunday Night, March 25, to the very popular music of ‘Michael Sexton’. 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.

Service of Reconciliation
Reconciliation Service will take place in Holy Trinity Parish Church on Monday, March 26, at 7.30pm

Clocks go forward this weekend
Don’t forget to set your clocks forward by one hour at 1am on this coming Sunday, March 25, officially the start of Summer Time, also called Spring Forward and Daylight Savings Time. Sunrise and sunset will be about 1 hour later, giving us a longer stretch of light in the evening. We may lose one hour in bed but with extra daylight and a long summer ahead, there’s plenty to look forward to.

Service of Reconciliation this Saturday in the Abbey
As part of the preparation for the celebration of Easter a service of reconciliation will take place in the Augustinian Abbey, Fethard, during the vigil mass on this Saturday evening, March 24, at 7.30pm.
Celebration of the Eucharist will take place on Holy Thursday, March 29, at 8pm. On Good Friday, March 30, Liturgy will take place at 3pm, with Stations of the Cross at 7.30pm. On Holy Saturday Mass will be celebrated at 8pm.

Fethard Girls Rugby have fun in Donnybrook

Members of Fethard Girls Rugby Club photographed at Donnybrook in Dublin, where they travelled to support the Irish Ladies Rugby team and their very helpful voluntary coach, Edel McMahon, who works at Fethard Equine Hospital.

Fethard Girls Rugby were honoured to travel up to Donnybrook in Dublin recently where they could cheer on the Irish Women’s Rugby team, and more importantly, it was great to support Edel McMahon who was playing with the Ireland women’s team for their ‘Six Nations’ campaign at Donnybrook these past few weeks. Furthermore, Edel played for the Barbarians team before Christmas that played in Thomand Park. Edel is working at the Fethard Equine Hospital next to Fethard Community Field, and most weeks since last summer, volunteers her time to coach our Fethard girls’ youth teams. We are very lucky to have Edel’s support to the girls. As a result, our girls have had a wonderful season so far with fine progressive rugby.

Our Fethard Girls Rugby wish Edel and all her Ireland team mates the best of luck in all their future games. With the ‘7s Rugby’ coming up after Easter for the youth girls, followed by plenty of inter-provincial fun with Munster, there’s a lot to look forward to.

Race Night on Easter Saturday
A date for your diary coming up is our Fethard RFC Race Night on Easter Saturday, March 31, in McCarthys, Fethard. This is always a very entertaining and enjoyable evening. Cards will be distributed at training in the coming weeks and horses will cost €10 each. This is a vital fundraiser for our club and we hope you will be able to support. Also, anyone interested in sponsoring a race at €50 in our race programme please kindly contact Polly on 086 3394959. Anyone, or local business, wishing to support the club can also place a full-page advert for €100 or a ½ page advert for €50.

Come and lend your support to our Fethard Girls in their Munster Cup final, postponed twice due to snow and bad weather, but recently now confirmed for Saturday, March 24, in Crescent Comprehensive Rugby Pitches in Limerick.

Hard luck to our Fethard 1st XV after a hard fought 20-21 defeat away to Fermoy in the final game of the league. Unfortunately missing out on direct promotion but will have a home draw in the promotion play offs.

Taking a ’close look’ at Fethard

This Friday evening, March 23, at 7pm, Fethard Historical Society have organised an event in the Abymill Theatre that will allow Fethard people to ‘take stock’ of their town and area and hopefully look forward to a bright future for everyone in the community. Then, following an audio-visual presentation, there will be a reception at 9pm for all to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the society.
The Fethard Historical Society was founded under the auspices of the Community Council exactly thirty years ago this Friday, and the society are using the occasion as an opportunity to take a look at where Fethard has come from and where it might be going, both as a live economic entity but also as a healthy and contented community.

Programme for the ‘Looking Back, Going Forward’ event
The programme opens at 7pm with a look back at the last thirty years in particular and at how the town has changed and adjusted in the wake of the local, national and global forces that have and are affecting all small towns in Ireland. Naturally there will be a close look at the built heritage of the area, along with its horses and its Walled Town status, that have now made Fethard nationally and internationally known.

Following-on, Ms Clare Lee, Tipperary County Council, will deliver a presentation ‘Planning Fethard, Past, Present and Future’. The Local Authority is in many ways the most important organ of state in the daily lives of the community, as the recent snow storms demonstrated.
Ms Alison Harvey from The Heritage Council will deliver a presentation entitled ‘Investing in Heritage-led Regeneration in Irish Towns – Case Study Fethard’. The Heritage Council is the national agency that advises the government on heritage matters and they also grant-aid projects in the whole natural and man-made heritage areas.

The Heritage Council have been instrumental in ensuring that up to one million euro in state funding has come to Fethard projects over the past ten years, directly or indirectly for Town Wall conservation, Town Hall restoration, signage, vital technical reports and festival funding.

Welcome to all to celebrate at 9pm
When the serious business is over it’s time to ‘party’ and a ‘Finger Food Reception’ will take place from 9pm onwards to celebrate the occasion, exactly thirty years ago on March 23, 1988, when the Historical Society was founded.
The society are endeavouring to contact all those who have been involved at a community level or otherwise in Fethard over the past thirty years, but, as records and memories can be incomplete, it can be taken that everyone with an interest in Fethard is very welcome to come to the Abymill Theatre next Friday evening (March 23) at 7pm and afterwards to the reception at 9pm.
Contact can be made with the society by emailing history @fethard.com or by texting or phoning 087 9009722 or 087930 5232

Fethard Bridge Club
On Wednesday, February 14, we played for sponsored prizes and the results were: 1st Nett, Alice Quinn and Berney Myles; 2nd Nett, Gabrielle Schofield and Nora Ryan; 3rd Nett, Carol Kenny and Gemma Burke; 1st Gross, Monica Anglim and Betty Walsh; 2nd Gross, Marie Delaney and Ann O'Dea; 3rd Gross, Carmel Condon and Brendan Kenny.

On Wednesday, February 21, we played the third round of the Player of the Year competition which was a change of partner and the results were: 1st Gross, Eileen Frewen and Rita Kane; 2nd Gross, Carmel Condon and Ann O’Dea; 3rd Gross, Berney Myles and Margaret Slattery; 1st Nett, Nell Broderick and Anne Connolly; 2nd Nett, Joan Hayes and Betty Walsh; 3rd Nett, Tony Hanrahan and Judy Doyle.

Bridge was cancelled on Wednesday, February 28, due to the inclement weather. This Wednesday, March 14, we play the final round of our Player of the Year competition. Next Wednesday, March 21, we play for Easter Prizes. Bridge starts at 7.15pm. Anyone looking for a partner contact Berney Myles at 6132038.

Senior Day at Day Care Centre
The Fethard & District Day Care Centre will hold a Senior Day on Friday, March 23. The chiropodist will be in attendance. All seniors welcome.

Fethard Day Care Centre serves the older members of the communities of Fethard, Killusty, Killenaule, Moyglass, Drangan and Mullinahone. They provide a warm, comfortable setting for daily gatherings, where clients can meet, play a game of Bingo, learn arts, crafts and exercises suited to their needs. They are also served hot nourishing meals, cooked in a 'state of the art' kitchen. Meals on Wheels are also provided three days a week.

If you or a family member are interested in attending the Day Care Centre, please contact your Public Health Nurse or contact Geraldine McCarthy at the Tirry Community Centre. Barrack Street, Fethard.

Table Quiz this Friday night in Butlers
Fethard Day Care Centre are also holding a fundraising Table Quiz on Friday night March 23, in Butlers Bar at 9pm. Table of four will cost €24. There will also be a raffle on the night. All proceeds go towards the daily running costs of the centre and your support is greatly appreciated.

Fethard & Killusty Community Lotto
The numbers drawn on March 14, were: 10, 26, 28 and 29 There was no jackpot winner and one ‘Match Three’ winner who received €150: Valentine O'Dwyer, Knockelly, Fethard.

The following three ‘Lucky Dip’ winners received €50 each: Paddy Tobin, The Commons, Ballingarry; Niall Connolly, c/o Eileen Connolly; and Alice Quinn, Burke Street, Fethard.

Next week’s draw takes place on Wednesday, March 21. 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 16, were: 5, 26, 28 and 29. There was no jackpot winner and no ‘match three’ winner. One Lucky Dip winner received €50: Bridget & Vincent, Cashel. Four Lucky Dip winners received €25 each: Tossie Lawton, St Patrick’s Place, Fethard; Liz & Jamie Mc Cormack, St Patrick’s Place, Fethard; Orla Broderick, Killenaule Road, Fethard; and Katie Ryan, St Rita’s Camogie.

The next draw takes place on Friday, March 23, 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.

Recycling Workshop

'The Four of Us’ at Crocanoir
On this Saturday, March 24, Crocanoir – an intimate concert venue and holiday home run by John and Monika Bermingham, at Ballycullen, Mullinahone, nestling in the foothills of Slievenamon – welcomes 'The 4 of Us' live in concert. The band, from Newry, County Down, are best known outside Ireland for their output in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

'The 4 Of Us' released their first album, 'Songs for the Tempted', with CBS Records in 1989, with the single 'Mary', becoming one of the most played songs on Irish radio that year. Tickets can be booked by contacting John at Tel: (052) 9153117 or 086 8907329. For more information visit: www.crocanoir.com

Clocks go forward this weekend
Don’t forget to set your clocks forward by one hour at 1am on this coming Sunday, March 25, officially the start of Summer Time, also called Spring Forward and Daylight Savings Time. Sunrise and sunset will be about 1 hour later, giving us a longer stretch of light in the evening. We may lose one hour in bed but with extra daylight and a long summer ahead, there’s plenty to look forward to.

Remember ‘Daffodil Day’ this Friday
It's that time of year again! A Daffodil Day Coffee Morning will take place in the Town Hall, Fethard on Friday, March 23, from 9am to 1pm. Daffodils and Daffodil Day Merchandise will be available for sale in the Town Hall and throughout the town that morning. This is a great event, for a very worthwhile cause and your support would be very much appreciated.

GAA Easter Camp
Following on from the great success and positive feedback. Fethard Juvenile GAA are hosting an Easter Camp for children from 5 to 13 year olds, taking place from Tuesday, April 3, to Friday, April 6. The camp will open from 10am to 2pm daily for boys and girls.

To book your place or for further details, contact Michael O'Mahoney 087 6791735 or Deirdre McEvoy 087 2479023.

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

Back in out of the cold to the Country Club Disco
Pictured at a Fethard Festival Disco in The Country Club Ballroom in June 1982 are. Back L to R: John O’Shea, Paul Looby, Roger Mehta, Michael O’Riordan, Philip Ryan, Damien Trehy, and Anthony Clancy. Front L to R: Willie O’Meara, Denis O’Meara and Adrian Pollard.


Would any of our hurling fans have any information on this hurling team photo, that I presume was a Tipperary team from the jerseys. The only helmets used in those days were bandages and caps as can be seen from the bloodied one on the player 3rd left in front. The hurleys also look the worst for wear . . . maybe they badly needed an active Tipperary Supporters Club to raise funds. Yet they won many All-Irelands!

James Burke (USA) posted this photograph of his mother, Breda Burke (back left) with Rita O'Shea and their children from left, James Burke, Joe Burke, Mary Burke, Richard Burke, Catherine O'Shea, Patrick O'Shea and John O'Shea. The foot in the sand (on right) belongs to a buried Martin O'Shea. Taken in Tramore in the sixties.


Breda Kearney posted this photo of her late brother, Francis Kearney photographed with Jimmy Higgins in Lonergan's Bar in 1985.


John Kenrick posted this photograph of a group of customers of Hayes Betting Office, Burke Street, in the early 1980s.


Tommy Sheehan, posted this early photograph of his brothers and sisters taken at their home in St. Patrick's Place.


Pat Marshall posted these two photographs, of his parents above Michael O'Meara and Alice (née Hartigan) of Grawn.


Pat Marshall 's second photo above is of the Hartigans from Grawn Top L to R: Theresa Coffey( née Hartigan), Tom Hartigan who lived at Powerstown and Jack Hartigan. Bottom in white Lizzie Drummy (née Hartigan) his aunts and uncles.

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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