Died in England
The death has occurred, suddenly at home on Thursday, May 14, 2020, of Brinley Moralee, Alnwick, Northumberland, England, and formerly Fethard, where he worked for some years in the late 1990s. Brinley, aged 47 years, is the beloved son of Sheila and the late Tom Moralee, loving brother to Clare, and brother-in-law to Steve.

A private funeral service will take place at Blyth Crematorium in Northumberland. Due to the current coronavirus restrictions a number of family and friends are unable to attend the service, however, Brinley's family would like to invite his friends and colleagues to pay their respects as the cortège passes his former place of work, The Cookie Jar, located in the centre of Alnwick town, on Thursday, May 28, at approximately 11.15am.


The late Brinley Moralee (back centre) photographed with some of his Fethard friends Back L to R: John Whyte, Brinley Moralee RIP, Dr. Mat Corcoran. Front L to R: Maureen Whyte and Ann Skehan.

Brinley Moralee, a former butler to the Duke of Northumberland, was employed more recently at The Cookie Jar, on the doorstep of Alnwick Castle, and received special mention for being impeccably polite and friendly, and giving excellent recommendations as to restaurants to where to go during an evening.

During his four-years while working in Fethard, Brinley touched so many people in a variety of ways – his charming personality, winning smile, satirical eloquence, his humour, style and passion for ballroom dancing, and above and beyond, his love of Ireland endeared us, one and all. Those who were fortunate to know him in Fethard are much the better for having enjoyed his friendship and wish to express their deepest sympathy to his mother Sheila, sister Clare, and brother-in-law Steve.  As Hilaire Belloc quotes, "From quiet homes and first beginning, out to the undiscovered ends, there's nothing worth the wear of winning, but laughter and the love of friends."

May he rise in glory and may he rest in eternal peace.

'Crooning for Cocooners' – this Friday in Fethard
Fethard Rugby club in association with John Nallen of Hotel Minella Clonmel are holding a free evening of music and entertainment for all cocooners on this Friday, May 29, at 7pm.

People are invited to park on the pitch and remain in their cars and enjoy the musical talents of Muriel O'Connor and Fran Curry, while observing the Covid 19 social distancing rules. Concert lasts 1 hour.

ADMISSION IS FREE but limited on a first come first served basis.
Please register your Car Registration Number to attend by emailing fethardconcert@gmail.com or phone Sinead Lee on 087 6207510.

Fethard Country Markets prepare to reopen in June


Fethard Country Markets reopen on Friday morning, June 12, at 8am. Indoors social distancing will apply and there will be a one in - one out system for customers.

Lets keep FETHARD GREAT!
St. Rita's Camogie club send their 'Congratulations' to Boherlahan on winning the final. A massive big thank you to everyone who supported us over the last few weeks, disappointed not to win but our hearts will always be 🔵⚪️! 

Thanks to Nenagh Guardian for organizing the poll, ye really brought out the community spirit in all of us, not too mention the competitive edge! A really big thank you to Coolmore Stud who have always been behind us in all our ventures both on and off the pitch. We look forward to gracing the camogie pitches with the 'Blue and White' Coolmore Jersey again – when it’s safe to do so.


The Nenagh Guardian newspaper organised this fun competition on 'Twitter' to find the Best Camogie Jersey in Tipperary. St. Rita's were beaten in the final by Boherlahan/Dualla. Congratulations to Boherlahan and well done to our own St. Rita's Camogie Club.

A milestone when the Abymill opened on May 26, 1988

It only seems like yesterday, but, it’s actually thirty-two years since the Abymill Theatre officially opened on May 26, 1988, after eight years of community fundraising by a dramatic voluntary committee and the kind good-will of owner Mrs Pauline Coffey, who sold it to the group for a 'song'. To celebrate the anniversary this week we publish a clip of Fethard's Nano Nagle School pupils singing 'From a Distance' – a song released by Nanci Griffith in 1987 - from a video of the opening concert filmed by Peter Grant.

Died Recently
The death has occurred on Saturday, May 23, 2020, of Breda Ryan (née McGrath), Coolmoyne Cross, Fethard, and formerly of Ballinahinch.

Breda, beloved wife of the late Michael Ryan, is deeply regretted by her loving sons Thomas, Michael and Larry, her daughters Josephine, Breda and Margaret, sons-in-law Seamus and Willie, granddaughter Breda, grandson James, sister-in-law Breda, nieces, nephews and many friends. May she rest in peace.

In keeping with Government and HSE restrictions, the Funeral is private. Anybody wishing to watch the service online can log in to parishchurch.net on Tuesday morning, May 26, at 11am. Messages of support for the family may be left on the online Condolence page by Clicking Here

Rev. Brother Mockler, Cloneen (Obituary 1952)
Lest we forget . . . this is an obituary to Brother Edward Mockler, Cloneen, who spent most of his life working on the religious missions in India. His last return to Ireland was a vacation in 1950. He returned to India in 1951 and died the following year after a brief illness on Saturday, November 22, 1952. Maybe he still has relatives living locally that remember him?

"We regret to announce the death, which occurred in India on November 22, 1952, of Rev. Brother Edward Bonaventure Mockler, a county Tipperary-born member of the Irish Christian Brothers.

The late Brother Mockler was a native of Ballinard, Cloneen, Fethard, where he was born 72 years ago. He received his early education at Cloneen School. He entered the Christian Brothers Novitiate, Dublin, in 1896.  Having thought for some years in the Christian Brothers schools in Cork and Dublin, he joined the Brothers’ Indian Mission Colleges, conducted by the Brothers at Kurgi, Asansol, Shillong and Nainital (a popular hill station in the Indian state of Uttarakhand), being appointed Superior of the latter in 1934 and again in 1944. He also acted as Consultor to the Brother Provincial and subsequently as Provincial Bursar. Like all the other Brothers on the mission, he remained at his post during the civil commotion between Hindus and Muslims, which followed the transition from British to native Indian rule.

His last vacation home in Ireland was in 1950. Returning to India in 1951, he continued to reside at Nainital College, situated in the foothills of the Himalayas where, after a brief illness, he died on Saturday, November 22, 1952, in the fifty-seventh year of his religious profession.

Brother Mockler is survived by Messrs. James and Denis Mockler (brothers), Miss Margaret M. Mockler and Mrs D.J. O’Rourke (sisters); Mr Danny O’Rourke and Miss Eleanor O’Rourke, Mrs Claire Black and Mrs Lowe (nieces), all residing in America.  Relatives residing in Ireland are:– Messrs. Patrick Keating, Dublin, and Richard Keating, Cloneen (nephews); Mrs Joseph Morrissey, Bannixtown (niece); Daniel, Sean, Edmond and Joseph Morrissey, Cloneen (grandnephews); Mrs P. Carroll, Clonmel; and Eileen, Rita, Claire, Bridget and Joan Morrissey, Cloneen (grandnieces)."

Strictly No Dancing – at least for the time being!

Photographed after dancing the Charleston at the 'Strictly Come Dancing' exhibition held in Fethard Ballroom in 2016. L to R: Kaylin O’Donnell, Nell Spillane, Sally Butler and Megan Hackett.

Monday, May 25, would have marked the 10th Anniversary of Marina’s ‘Strictly Come Dancing’, but unfortunately, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, this year’s event had to be cancelled.

All proceeds raised this year were to go to South Tipperary Hospice and  Marina would like express a special ‘thank you’ to all those who have already sponsored this worthy event, including: Denise O’Meara, ‘D’s Studio’; Sal Farag, Plastering Contractor; Christy’s Collectors Market & Car Boot Sale; O'Sullivan's Pharmacy, Cathy Doran, Neuromuscular & Sports Therapy Clinic, Fethard; Geraldine Shanahan, The Coachman, Clonmel; Jim Strang & Sons, Kilsheelan; Paul Deegan, Human Resources Director, Fiserv; and O’Gorman, Brannigan, Purtill & Co. Ltd. Accountants, Clonmel.

Marina would like to reassure everyone that this event will go ahead for South Tipperary Hospice at a later date.  If you would also like to help sponsor this worthy event, please contact Marina at Tel: 086 3649677.

Well done Matthew!

Fethard Rugby Club wish to congratulate their U18 player Matthew Burke on being called up to the Munster U19 Schools Squad. Well done Matthew!

Down Memory Lane – Burkes Bar Dart Teams 1972
On Monday night, April 10, 1972, Burkes Bar A and B darts teams competed in the Dundrum Darts Tourney and accounted for Erin Foods (Thurles) and Bruff (Co. Limerick). After a somewhat shakey start, Burkes A team won 5-1 out of the best of nine games.

Scoring was as follows: Noel Curran and Jim Allen representing Burkes beat Erin Foods 2-1; following that Bill Sharpe and his son Noel beat the Erin Foods second pair 3-0. So, for the second time Jim O’Meara and Derry Curran didn’t have to show their skills.
The B team won their first game but were unluckily beaten in the following two, score 1-2 to Erin Foods B. Then ‘Herself’, Mickey O’Brien and Pat Mullins, won their three games leaving the score 4-2; next up was Arthur Daly and Paddy Croke who won their first game in their set to make the score 5-2, winning the best out of nine games for Burkes Bar.

On the following Monday week (April 24), Burke’s team were to travel to Dundrum where their ‘A’ team play Hayes (Clonoulty) and ‘B’ play McGrath’s (Cashel). We’re not sure of the result but if they won, they would have qualified for the last eight, and for the ‘money’.

Restrictions eased from Monday, May 18

Restrictions to prevent the spread of Covid-19 eased somewhat on Monday, May 18, and we found this pictorial illustration published in the Dail Mail on Saturday, May 16, one of the easiest and simplified to understand. In the meantime, wherever you are – Stay Safe!

Augustinian Abbey opens for Private Prayer on May 18

Fethard Augustinian Abbey will also open for Private Prayer on Monday next, May 18. The church will open daily from 10am to 4pm to facilitate those wishing to visit the Abbey for private prayer.

Fethard Parish Church opens on Monday next, May 18
Holy Trinity Parish Church, Fethard, will open its doors for personal visitation from next Monday, May 18, on a daily basis from 11am to 3pm. In accordance with our Health Service recommendations, social distancing and hand hygiene will be implemented inside the Church, which is all so important to help slow the spread of coronavirus.



Entry and exit from Side Doors only
The side door on the left-hand side of the church as you approach from Main Street will be used as the main Entrance only. Visitors will then exit from the opposite side entrance as you leave the church, which will be used for Exit only.

We look forward to opening our doors to the public again and thank all who have continued to participate in our online daily Mass Service broadcast at www.parishchurch.net

Faces and Places from the Past
The following are a selection of photographs of faces and places taken in our locality that may bring back memories to many of our readers and visitors to fethard.com Please send any comments or photo information, names and event, to fethardnews@gmail.com

Unravelling the ‘Legion’ event pictured below . . .
We did believe the following photographs were taken at a Legion of Mary 'Peregrinatio Conference' held at 8pm in the Convent Hall, Fethard, on Friday, April 14, 1972, as the various groups and individuals appear to be Legion members from various parishes, photographed afterwards socialising in the Convent Hall. After further trying to identify the event and the year, it was pointed out that Christmas decorations were in the background of some photos, but as far as we can recall other parishes were never invited to Christmas parties, unless it was a special ‘Legion’ event.

Looking over past Newsletters, Church News Sheets and Fethard Notes in the Nationalist – it still points to 1972 and maybe the following occasion mentioned in the Annual Newsletter in 1972 excerpt from Legion of Mary report of that year.

Annual Newsletter 1972 (excerpt).
This year marked the thousandth meeting of the Fethard Senior Praesidium. We thank God that our Praesidium, since its inception on Tuesday, December 2nd, 1952, has survived. (1972 was also their 20th Anniversary).

Fethard Legion celebrated their 1,000 meeting of the Praesidium. To celebrate the occasion, we held a Night Vigil in the Parish Church for peace, a function which was enjoyed by all members. the occasion was tinged with some sadness because of the absence of Thomas O’Connell (died September 20, 1971). That we could celebrate our Thousandth Meeting was due in no small measure to him. We ask you to remember him and all deceased members of the Legion in your prayers. We thank God and His Blessed Mother for the graces and blessings the Praesidium has received over the last twenty years, and in appreciation of this we hope all our members will continue to render a faithful service.

Any further information, corrections or names would be greatly appreciated.

Fethard News
Comments or items for inclusion on this website can be emailed to fethardnews@gmail.com or delivered by hand to Joe Kenny, Rocklow Road, Fethard.