Clonacody ‘Musical Picnic' this coming weekend


On this coming weekend, Saturday, July 14 and Sunday, July 15, come along and enjoy all your favourite easy listening classics under the stars at the annual ‘Music Picnic’ held on the lawns of Clonacody House, Fethard. 

On Saturday evening at 8pm, we have a 'Moonlight Serenade' with Derek Ryan and Ryan Morgan. On Sunday afternoon from 2pm who can relax and enjoy Pat Marnane and Fran Garry, along with Limerick piper Matt Bashford. On Sunday Night, commencing at 7.30pm, we are proud to present the 'Clonacody Proms', performing the very best from the repertoire of Rodgers and Hammerstein staring ‘The Two & A Half Tenors’ with special guests Deirdre Ryan and Sarah-Ellen Murphy. Proceeds are in aid of the Cystic Fibrosis Association of Ireland and the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association (IMNDA).

Weekend tickets cost €30 each; Sunday afternoon is a special rate of €20 for a family ticket. Individual concert tickets cost €20. For further information or tickets contact Tel: 087 2491228 or 087 1689167.

Bring a picnic, bring a chair, bring the family – all welcome. Full bar and food service available with children’s bouncy castles, face painting and lots more.

Died Recently
The death has occurred on Sunday, July 8, 2018, of Noel Fitzgerald, The Thatch, Cloneen, peacefully at South Tipperary General Hospital, Clonmel. Noel, deeply regretted by his loving wife Trish, daughter Niamh, sons Mark and James, brothers, sisters, aunt, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, mother-in-law, extended family, and a wide circle of friends. May he rest in Peace.

Reposing in The Thatch Cloneen on Wednesday, July 11, from 4pm to 8pm followed by prayers. Removal on Thursday, July 12, to the Church of The Nativity, Cloneen, Requiem Mass at 11am, followed by burial in the adjoining cemetery. House private on Thursday please.

Old Kilmaclugh Cemetery Mass

Photograph taken on the evening of June 29, in beautiful sunshine at Kilmaclugh Cemetery on Grove Estate were Fr. Liam Everard P.P. celebrated outdoor mass with a small but dedicated congregation, in the recently cleaned up graveyard.

On Friday evening last, June 29, Rev. Fr. Liam Everard, Parish Priest Fethard & Killusty, celebrated mass at picturesque Kilmaclugh graveyard, on Grove Estate, Fethard, in memory of all those interred on the ancient site.

A small but dignified group of parishioners and relatives attended the ceremony, that took place in the shade of many of the mature trees on site and in the welcome cool of that very hot evening. It was a very pleasant and peace-full setting for such a dignified ceremony and was greatly appreciated by all who were present.

The graveyard is under the care of the Fethard Rural Graveyards committee who were present on the night, along with local volunteers, Christy Williams and Joe Lee. TÚS community work scheme, also supply a worker to the committee and, with the welcome addition of financial aid from Tipperary County Council, the graveyard is maintained and kept clean and accessible for the public and relatives to visit and pay their respects.

The committee also look after three other local graveyards in the area, Rathcoole, Red City, and Tullamaine. Grass-cutting and general maintenance is ongoing at present and the contribution of our TÚS worker is greatly appreciated by the committee, as are all those who volunteer their time in caring for these historic graveyards.

Throughout the coming years, it is hoped that similar Masses will be said in each of the graveyards under the care of the committee.

Died Recently
The death has occurred on Saturday, July 7, 2018, of Larry Hopkins, Fr. Tirry Park, Fethard, and formerly Cahir and England.

Larry will be deeply missed by his many friends in Fethard and Cahir and family in England. May he rest in Peace.

Funeral service at 11am in Holy Trinity Church of Ireland, Fethard, on Monday, July 16, followed by private cremation.

Articles invited for Annual Emigrant's Newsletter 2018
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: emigrantsnewsletter@gmail.com

Help is always needed gathering articles and photographs, indeed, one of the most time-consuming chores is trying to put captions to the 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 by the Legion of Mary in December 1959 and is 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 'first newsletter' was discovered in a drawer by Pat Shine, formerly from Crampscastle and now living in London. Today, over fifty years later, the newsletter has grown into a full colour 200-page production and is still posted free of charge to all our emigrants living throughout the world.

Celebrating twenty years teaching piano

Local piano students, brothers Mark and Ronan O'Meara with their certificates.

This year local Fethard piano teacher Stuart Clooney completed his twentieth year of teaching piano and preparing students for National Music Exams in Pianoforte. With local interest in the musicianship of the piano growing steadily Stuart has accumulated twenty years of professional piano teaching to students from Fethard and the surrounding areas of all levels of abilities from the Beginner Grades up to Grade Eight and Senior Repertoire Recital.


Siblings Claire, Isabelle and David O'Donnell photographed with piano teacher Stuart Clooney

This year’s exams were held in Fethard which have become an annual event for the students attending over the past years. With a large number of examinees, the 2018 exams were held during the last week of May. After an anxious wait for results the dedication and hard work paid dividend for the students, with honours and first class honours obtained, including eight medals awarded to students of various levels.


Siblings Abbey and Jack Boland with piano teacher Stuart Clooney

The following list includes students awarded with medals from the Leinster School of Music based at Griffith College Dublin: James Clooney, Gavin Neville, Jack Hennessy, Micheal O’Rahilly, Jenna Hayes, Yasmin Woodlock, Mark O’Meara and Joe Traynor.

Stuart would like to say a big thank you to students and parents past and present for their support over the twenty years of teaching with a warm welcome to returning students in September 2018 as well as the new group of beginners starting lessons for this upcoming academic year. For information and enquiries please feel free to call Stuart or Maura Clooney, Cashel Road, Fethard 087 9540234 or (052) 6132567.


Brothers Christopher and Tom Lee with piano teacher Stuart Clooney

Sports Achievement Nominations for June
The following eight nominations were received for the Butler’s Bar Fethard Sports Achievement Award for June.

1. Fethard U8 Boys Gaelic Football Team – Winners of the Danaher Cup, beating Clonmel Commercials in the final. The tournament is run annually in conjunction with Fethard Festival.
   
2. Cian Hurley – Special Olympian Cian was a double swimming gold medal winner at the national championships held at the Aquatic Centre at Abbotstown.
3. Aine Connolly – Winner of an U12 eventing qualifier competition held in Bunclody, Co. Wexford.
4. Jake Feery – Young cyclist Jake was winner of the U12 County Tipperary Community Games 2K Race on Grass recently in Roscrea.
5. Richard Murphy – Another young cyclist from Fethard who finished second to Jake Feery in the Community Games U12 Race on Grass.
6. Ben Coen – This up and coming jockey continued his winning ways by winning on ‘Spiorad Saoirse’ for trainer Andy Slattery at Limerick Racecourse.
7. Colm O’Donoghue – Three wins in June with the highlight undoubtedly being the winning the Coronation Stakes at Ascot on ‘Alpha Centauri’ for trainer Jessica Harrington.
8. Darrel Needham – Darrel was a member of a Tipperary soccer team which was very successful at the Special Olympic National Finals held recently.

The winner will be announced at a special presentation function held on Friday night next, July 6, at Butlers Bar. All are welcome

Special Olympics

Darryl Needham, Fethard, who won a gold medal playing Division 2 seven-a-side soccer with the Tipp Town Olympic Club at the Irish Olympics finals on Sunday, June 17. Darryl is photographed with his family members. L to R: Margaret Needham (mother), Lauren Needham (sister), Darryl Needham and Val Needham (father).

Cemetery Mass at Calvary on Tuesday, July 17
Mass will be celebrated at Calvary Cemetery on Tuesday, July 17, at 7.30pm. Please come along to this special celebration remembering our family and friends who have passed to their eternal reward.

Support for local critically ill children


On this Thursday, July 5, from 10am to 1.30pm, volunteers at Fethard Horse Country Experience on Main Street, will be selling coffee, tea and cakes in aid of critically ill children from the local area. They will also sell raffel tickets with proceeds going to the same cause, for the grand prize of a weekend getaway to Fota Island Resort, Cork. Tickets are currently on sale at €2 each or three tickets for €5. Please pop in and support this very local worthy cause.

Pilgrimage to Holy Year Cross
This year’s annual pilgrimage to Holy Year Cross on Slievenamon will take place on Sunday, August 12. The annual parish pilgrimage to Holy Year Cross on Slievenamon takes place each year on (or nearest suitable date) the Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady.

The Holy Year Cross was erected by the people of the parish to commemorate the Marian Year and was blessed by the late Rev. Patrick O’Donnell, Archbishop of Brisbane, Australia, on August 15, 1950. The cross was originally made of wood and was illuminated both on Christmas night and Easter time using a lamp powered by wet batteries. By 1974 the wood of the Holy Year Cross had to be replaced by a concrete structure.

Toddlers Summer Party

Fethard Toddler and Parent Group will hold their Annually Toddlers Summer Party on Thursday, July 26, from 11am to 1pm, in the Fethard Convent Community Hall. All are welcome to come along and join us for a ‘Beach Party Disco’ with lots of fun games and dancing. All parents and toddlers welcome, and if you do have older children at home, do bring them along as well! The cost is €3 per child which includes light refreshments.

Fethard Juvenile GAA Cúl Camp
Fethard GAA Cúl Camp takes place from August 20 to August 24, open to boys and girls aged 6 years to 13-year-olds. Registration online at www.kelloggsculcamps.gaa.ie where you can select your nearest venue, available places and book online. Cost for first child is €60; second child €50; third and fourth €40. Supervisor is Ann Marie Moroney Tel: 087 7973829

Games include Hurling, Football, Camogie, Ladies Football and Rounders and early booking is advisable as only those registered online can be guaranteed their gear to arrive on time.

Church Gate Collection
Fethard Juvenile GAA will hold their Church Gate Collection over the coming weekend, July 7 and July 8. Please contact treasurer John O’Flynn if you are available to give a hand.

Social dancing at Fethard Ballroom
Fethard Ballroom continues its social dancing on this coming Sunday night, July 8, to the very popular music of ‘Images’. All are welcome to come along and enjoy a great night’s entertainment and social dancing from 9pm to midnight. Admission is €9, which includes tea and cakes.

Killusty Pony Show this Saturday, July 7

Pat Culligan preparing for Killusty Show which takes place on Saturday, July 7.

On this coming Saturday, July 7, the 56th Annual Killusty Pony Show will take place at Claremore, Killusty, thanks to the kind permission of landowners, Noel Byrne and Barry Walsh. The committee would appreciate some help on the day if anyone is interested and available, just come along and call to the secretary’s tent at the show.

The first show held in 1962
Back in 1962, there was a surplus of good ponies in Slievenamon and in the surrounding areas, due partly to the presence of a number of high quality pony stallions standing at Kiltinan Castle owned by Mrs De Sales La Terriere. Killusty Pony Show was founded in that year to provide a shop window for these ponies. Fifty-six years on, Killusty Pony Show continues to expand and caters for all categories of ponies at its annual staging on the first Saturday in July every year.

Mrs de Sales La Terriere (1889–1968)
Joan Mary de Sales La Terriere was one of the early luminaries of show jumping, born at Castle-Grace, on the estate of her father Samuel Grubb, a member of the local gentry.

As Joan Grubb, she first came to public attention by abandoning the convention of riding side-saddle, as was expected of women. She was the first woman to ride astride at the Olympia London International Horse Show, where her 'gentleman's' style of riding caused controversy, she persisted in doing so at other international competitions. Her riding career was cut short at the outbreak of World War One. After the war she married Lieut. Col. F.J.B. de Sales La Terriere, and had two children, Tadhg and Rory.

Mrs la Terrier’s grave and that of her mother, Mrs Grubb, are in the grounds of Kiltinan overlooking the Castle. Inscriptions read: Alice Hannah Grubb, died, August 29, 1955. Joan Mary de Sales la Terrier, died, February 3, 1968, aged 78 years.

Visiting Fethard Relatives

Bernard Kenrick and his wife Kathleen, from New Zealand, photographed on a visit to meet Bernard’s relatives in Fethard. Bernard’s father was the late Tommy Kenrick from Main Street who often told him stories of Fethard. This aroused his interest in Ireland and Fethard and he made the decision to come to Ireland for the first time in 1989 when he met all his Newport relatives and tied up all the missing family links.

Fethard & Killusty Community Lotto
The numbers drawn on June 27, were: 7, 12, 25 and 31. There was no jackpot winner and no ‘Match Three’ winner so the following drawn tickets received €50 each: Kelly Fogarty, Congress Terrace, Fethard; Susan Sayers, Crampscastle, Fethard; and Frankie Mullins, c/o Kathleen Connolly.

The following three ‘Lucky Dip’ winners also received €50 each: Michael Flanagan, c/o Tom Purcell; Johanna Bradshaw, Fr. Tirry Park, Fethard; and Friendship Club, Barrack Street, Fethard. Total prizemoney paid out this week was €300.

Next week’s draw takes place on Wednesday, July 4. 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, June 29, were: 5, 14, 17 and 35. There was no jackpot winner and no ‘match three’ winner. One lucky dip winner won €50: Lucy Lonergan, Cashel; and four lucky dip winners received €25 each: Frances Harvey, Woodvale Walk, Fethard; John Sheehan, Killusty; Tricia O’Brien, Gaule’s Bar; and Rita Kennedy, Merry’s, Clonmel.

The next draw takes place on Friday, July 6, in Burke’s Bar at 7.30pm, 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.

Midsummer Ramble to Red City

Members of Fethard Historical Society on the scenic mid-summer’s walk to Red City Cemetery

The Fethard Historical Society organised a walk to Red City Cemetery on Midsummers Day. Almost forty people gathered in the carpark opposite the Fethard Ballroom at 7 30pm. In contrast to previous days, the weather was balmy with just the hint of a breeze, ideal for walking.

On arrival at the cemetery, Mary Hanrahan, Chairperson, Fethard Historical Society, gave a brief history of the site. It was first called Killmalogue, the church of St. Millogue, an ancient Gaelic monastic site. She explained that the name ‘Red City’, which came later, is actually a mistranslation of the original Gaelic ‘Cathair Dhearg’. In modern usage ‘cathair’ means ‘city’ but long ago it actually designated a circular or round fort built and ‘dearg’ referred to the red sandstone from which it was built. When the Normans came to this area sometime after 1185 the fort was still standing. They took over the native Irish site, kept the place name, created a manor and built the Red City parish church, the ruins of which still remains.


Revd. Canon Barbara Fryday relates some of the history of Red City from a volume published in 1908 by Rev St. John D. Seymour.

One of the main features of the Red City site is that the Church is located at one side of the road and the graveyard, instead of being beside the church as usual, is on the other side of the road. Local legend tells us that it came about as follows: Moll Dunlea, one of the principal witnesses in the trial of Fr. Nicholas Sheehy in 1766, gave false testimony against him as a result of which he was hanged in Clonmel. Moll was reputedly an unsavoury character and having ‘sworn on’ the priest she came to a bad end. Sometime after the death of Fr. Sheehy, Moll was drunk, fell down into a cellar, died and was buried in Red City cemetery. The morning after her interment, the locals woke to find that during the night the cemetery had moved across the road leaving Moll’s grave in isolation beside the church. Terry Cunningham then briefly recounted the story of Fr. Sheehy who was reputedly born in the neighbouring townland of Barrettstown.

Local folklore also says that a large black dog haunts the road at this site at midnight. There was also a large rock known as the Rock of Red City which was supposed to be connected to the Abbey church in Fethard by a tunnel. This rock was also used as a Mass rock during Penal times.

Canon Barbara Fryday brought along a rare ecclesiastical history published in 1905 from which she shared details that gave a most interesting insight into the parochial life of Red City in the 19th and early 20th century.


Gerry Long discusses ways of preserving the history of places like Red City through modern technology

Gerry Long and Seamus Barry, who are part of the small but very active Cemetery Group who undertake the maintenance of the local graveyards, were also present. Gerry spoke about their latest initiative which is to provide information about the graveyards by means of a QR code that can be read by using an app on a smartphone. The QR code can simply be placed in a suitable location, no major maintenance is required and visitors to the sites can easily access the information. Having developed the QR code the next stage of the project is to gather the information: historical facts, stories, local folklore etc. Gerry is looking for information relating to the graveyards at Red City, Tullamaine, Rathcoole and Kilmaclugh and he can be contacted at johnlong1960@gmail.com

Mention was also made of the Irish customs relating to midsummer, dating back to pre-Christian times, which centred on St. John’s Eve, June 23. Communities came together to light large bonfires; torches lit from the bonfire were used to invoke a blessing on people, livestock and land to ensure a good harvest. If someone had just built a house, it was the custom to take embers from the bonfire to kindle the first fire on the hearth of the new building.

The evening rounded off with a most welcome mini-picnic before the group made their leisurely way back along the one-mile scenic road to Fethard.

Augustinian pilgrimage to Knock

The annual Augustinian pilgrimage to Knock will take place on Saturday, July 21. The cost for anybody wishing to participate is €20. Please contact The Abbey, Fethard, for futher details. Tel: (052) 6131273.

World Meeting of Families
Free tickets for Knock and Phoenix Park on Sunday, August 26, can be booked online from next Monday, June 25.

If you have already booked and paid for a day at the Pastoral Congress (August 22 – 24) there is no need to book a ticket for Phoenix Park.

Free Tickets for Croke Park, Festival of Families on Saturday evening, August 25 will become available for a family from each parish through the Diocesan Office at a later date.

Tickets for the Pastoral Congress on Wednesday, August 22 & Thursday, August 23, only are still available for purchase online.

Native American to lead Famine 1848 Walk, July 28 at 3pm
Choctaw native, Waylon Gary White Deer, will lead this year's Famine 1848 Walk in Ballingarry, on Saturday, July 28, at 3pm.

The Walk commemorates the Famine and the 1848 Rising and remembers all those who suffered, died and emigrated. The Walk will recall the extraordinary act of kindness of the dispossessed Choctaws to the starving Irish during the Great Famine. The starting point for the Walk is the Young Ireland and National Flag monument in the village of The Commons.

The Walk covers 1½ miles and concludes at Famine Warhouse 1848, the state national heritage museum. Light refreshments will be served. On the afternoon of Sunday, July 29, there will be free guided tours of the site. All are welcome.

Fethard & Killusty Community Council AGM
The Annual General Meeting of Fethard & Killusty Community Council will take place on Tuesday, July 10, at 8.30pm in the Tirry Community Centre, Barrack Street, Fethard. All are welcome to attend.

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 Fancy Dress Parade August 21, 1988, assorted photographs taken during the 'Street Festival' and judging at St. Patrick's Place – 30 Years Ago

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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