'Big Picture' – Last passenger train to leave Fethard 1963

Last Train left Fethard to strains of ‘Gone Away’ 1963

The last passenger train from Dublin to Clonmel stopped in Fethard at 9pm on Saturday night, September 14, 1963, and received a rousing cheer from a large enthusiastic crowd, whose spirit was in no way dampened by the heavy rain prevailing.

While waiting for the train, which was an hour late, the crowd were entertained to a selection of lively Irish airs, rendered on the accordion of Mr Marty Roach, Kilsheelan.

The younger members present joined in a singsong and brought ‘Katie Daly’ down the mountain in no uncertain manner. The train was brought into the station to prolonged cheering, by the signal man Tom Connors whose grandfather worked at the building of the station house and whose father, Ned Connors, served on the permanent staff for over 40 years. Tom has now been transferred to Carrick, thus breaking a family link with the station since its opening in 1877.

The Misses Careys, Burke Street, whose family resided in the railway cottage at Drumdeel for over 50 years, and Mrs C. Newport, Fethard, whose grandmother was a passenger on the first train to leave from the station, made the last trip for sentimental reasons. Mrs Newport purchased the last ticket issued and had it signed by Mr Patrick Ryan, Station Master.

As the last train started pulling out, Mrs Sarah Lawless presented a bouquet of Sweet Pea to the driver, and ‘Gone Away’ sounded on a hunting horn amid the noise of exploding detonators placed on the line. On looking around, quite a few moist eyes were to be seen amongst the crowd. Thus, ended an era in the hearts of many Fethard people.

Please return perpetual cups won at Killusty Show 2019
I would like to ask people who won perpetual cups at the Killusty Show in  2019, if they could please return these cups to the show secretary it would be greatly appreciated by the committe. Hopefully they will return in 2021 to win them back again. For futher details I can be contacted by Tel: o87 9451810. Pat Culligan, Killusty Show Chairman. 

GAA Sports Development Lotto
Fethard GAA Sports Lotto draw results for Friday, October 23 are as follows: the numbers drawn were: 8, 15, 16 and 26. There was no jackpot winner and no ‘match three’ winner. One Lucky Dip winner received €50: Lorraine Coen, The Green, Fethard: two Lucky Dip winners received €25 each: Eoin O’Donovan, The Valley, Fethard; and Stephen Fitzgerald, St. Patricks Place, Fethard.

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 next draw takes place on Friday, October 30, when the jackpot is €27,700 and the seller's prize is €1,000. The funds raised are used to promote sport in the local community.

November Cemetery Rosaries for the Holy Souls
Rosaries for the Holy Souls will be recited in the following cemeteries during the month of November.

• The first will take place on Sunday, November 1, in the Presentation Convent Cemetery after 11am Mass; Parish Church Cemetery at 3pm and Holy Trinity Cemetery (The Square) at 3.30pm.
• On Sunday, November 8, The Augustinian Abbey at 3pm and Everardsgrange at 3.30pm.
• On Sunday, November 15, Calvary Cemetery at 3pm and Peppardstown at 3.30pm.
• On Sunday, November 22, Rathcoole Cemetery at 2.30pm; Red City Cemetery at 3pm; and Tullamaine Cemetery at 3.30pm.
• On Sunday, November 29, Killusty Cemetery after 10am Mass; and Kiltinan Cemetery at 2.30pm; and Kilmaclugh Cemetery at 3.15pm.

Please join in the Rosary for the Holy Souls. All are invited to come along and remember our loved ones who have passed on to their eternal reward.

Students' farewell to principal Mr Pat Coffey

Fethard’s Patrician Presentation Secondary School students say ‘farewell’ to popular Principal, Mr Pat Coffey, on Friday, October 8, 2020. Pat has taken up his new position as Principal of Borris Vocational School, which is nearer to his home in Co. Carlow.

On Friday, October 8, Fethard bade farewell to Mr. Pat Coffey who has been Principal in Patrician Presentation Secondary School since September 2017. Pat, originally from Enfield, Co Meath is a graduate of NUI Maynooth, where he graduated with a B.A. in Maths and an M.A. in Nua-Gaeilge.

Pat worked with the Professional Development Service for Teachers and supported schools engaging in the school self-evaluation process, primarily in the area of improving the teaching and learning of numeracy across the curriculum. During his first year here in Fethard, Pat completed a Ph. D. in Education from the University of Lincoln.


Fourth Year students present their hand made farewell card to Principal, Mr Pat Coffey.

Pat led the Patrician Presentation School through a Whole School Evaluation (Management, Leadership and Learning) in 2018, where the findings showed a highly dedicated Principal, who worked well with the Deputy Principal, staff and Board of Management, in creating a positive and safe teaching environment for its students. The report commented on how effectively the school was managed, and how informed Pat was in relation to current educational policy and good practice in teaching and learning approaches, with student outcomes and student experiences of a very high quality. During his time here in Fethard, he dedicated himself to getting to know the school community, and to working in developing links with the wider community.

Fethard Patrician Presentation Secondary School's Fourth Year class expressing their own unique ‘farewell’ to popular Principal, Mr Pat Coffey, with coloured chalk.

He facilitated both extra-curricular and curricular activities in the school including sport, foreign trips, school shows, Junk Kouture, liturgies, and pilgrimages. Pat continued to build bridges with the G.A.A. and the local Business Tourism and Heritage group. In the summer of 2018 he facilitated Fethard Historical Society, through the IT department, in a ‘Transcribeathon’ (recording and publishing online) of the Digital Atlas of Historic Fethard in which he and his wife Mary took part. 

This year proved particularly challenging for any school leader and Pat faced this challenge very well, despite the passing in March of his Mother after a long illness, may she rest in peace. This was a testament to him as an individual and as a professional.


Fethard Patrician Presentation Secondary School's 'Leaving Cert class of 2020-2021 say ‘farewell’ to popular Principal, Mr Pat Coffey.

Pat has moved as principal to Borris Vocational School where he is nearer to his home in Co Carlow. We thank him for his leadership at Patrician Presentation Secondary school here in Fethard, and for shaping the lives of our students during his time here. We wish Pat all the best in his new position in Borris, and all the best in his future career.

Clocks go back this weekend!


Don't forget the clocks will go back by one hour at 2am on Sunday, October 25. This will mean an extra hour in bed. While clocks on most phones, laptops and other smart devices reset themselves, don’t forget to adjust any manually operated clocks and watches. Otherwise you may find yourself having an early breakfast or rushing around in the morning for absolutely no reason.

New County Development Plan for 2022-2028


Tipperary County Council has commenced the preparation of a new County Development Plan for Tipperary. To facilitate public engagement/submissions, a dedicated ‘County Development Plan’ webpage has been set up and will remain ‘live’ during the two-year process. As the Plan progresses, the site will be routinely up-dated with reports, published submissions, public engagement guides and videos etc.


The web site can be accessed CLICKING HERE. The website is an excellent resource and point of contact for the public and stakeholders, and I would appreciate it if you could circulate the link as opportunities arise.

Fethard & Killusty Emigrants Newsletter
These are very strange times, at home and away, and we do wish that all our readers are coping well and in good spirits. Here in Fethard, most of our community organisations are affected severely and trying to survive without meetings and activities. Even so, there is a great community spirit in our town and alternative services quickly organised and now in operation to help those in need. Local businesses are also suffering, and many may not open again. We do wish this ne’er before situation will end soon and normal life will resume.

We are currently compiling this year’s Annual Newsletter and it will be memorable for the many reasons, apart from the lack of activity we will also miss many of our regular articles published at this time, in particular local club reports. We expect many to be very concise.

How are you?
We invite you, our readers, to tell us what life is like in your part of the world. Has Covid restrictions prevented you coming home? We would also love if you send us a message or photograph for publication in this year's Newsletter, telling us where you live etc. and share your experience with other readers who are also experiencing a similar situation. This worldwide pandemic affects us all and is or will be a live-changing experience for many.

Living away from home from those you love must be very hard . . . and living at home is also extremely hard for those with family away. So do send us a greeting, message or photo for this year’s Newsletter and it will help us through this unusual time and shorten the wait for it to end. And it will end, no matter how long it takes!  Email your message/photo to emigrantsnewsletter@gmail.com

Emigration in the 1940s

Emigration as many will remember – these two lads with bags packed, are photographed with neighbours before leaving The Green for England in the early 1940s. L to R: Alice Carey, Katie (Kenny) O'Brien, Ursula O'Brien, Mary O'Brien, Bridget and Maggie Carey, Jimmy Walsh and Mattie Higgins.

Local submissions
We are also inviting anyone with articles or photographs to be included in this year’s issue to be also submitted before Monday, November 2, as we cannot guarantee publication after that date.

Please supply photographs to be scanned and returned while you wait, to Joe Kenny, or scan yourself at a high resolution and send them with captions by email to: emigrantsnewsletter@gmail.com or hand them in to Joe Kenny, Rocklow Road, or Carmel Rice, Brookhill, Fethard.

Donations Online
Due to Covid restrictions there will be no Annual Church Gate Collection this year, but you can still make a donation by putting it in an envelope with your name and address and hand or post it to our Secretary, Carmel Rice, Brookhill, Fethard, E91 HY84, or to Joe Kenny, Rocklow Road, Fethard, E91 XR26, and all donations of €10 and over received before November 8, 2020, will be acknowledged in this year’s Newsletter. After that date they will be acknowledged in next year's issue (2021).

Alternatively you can also make a secure donation by Credit Card or PayPal by clicking the 'DONATE' link below.

EMIGRANTS' NEWSLETTER

New Addresses
If you have relatives abroad that you wish to receive the newsletter you can also send us their address or update a current address by email to: emigrantsnewsletter@gmail.com or hand them in to Joe Kenny, Rocklow Road, or Carmel Rice, Brookhill, Fethard.
 

Pictured at the Famine Mass in Drangan on September 24, 1995 are L to R: Michael Hall (Kyle), Arthur Wilson (Rathkenny) and Liam Meagher (Lismoynan) looking at a man trap, which was used to protect food stores from theft during the Great Irish Famine.


Jimmy O’Connor, a member of the local committee objecting to the proposed windfarm on Slievenamon, pictured above presenting new evidence supporting their case to Claire O’Grady Walsh, executive director Greenpeace, and Pat Fleming,Greenpeace. September 21, 1995.


Section of the large group of protesters from all over South Tipperary that turned out to support the Earthwatch protest march against the proposed siting of a Windfarm on Slievenamon. The march started from Upper Irishtown and ended outside the County Council offices in Clonmel where Mr. Bobby Walsh of Earthwatch, Clonmel, addressed the crowd. September 24, 1995.


Members of the Carrick-on-Suir Earthwatch who joined in the protest march last Saturday in Clonmel against the proposed siting of a Windfarm on Slievenamon. L to R: Debbie Butler, Coral Butler, Aidan Dunne, Sara McCarthy, Enda O’Driscoll and Sinead Blackmore. September 24, 1995.


John Fitzpatrick (centre), Promotion Officer Our Lady’s Hospital Crumlin, accepting a cheque for £743 from John Ryan, Woodvale Walk, Fethard, who organised a local quiz league to raise funds for the Research Centre at Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin. The quiz teams were sponsored by local businesses and individuals. The winner’s trophy was sponsored by Louis Coen, Killusty, and is named “The Cornelius Coen Perpetual Trophy” in remembrance of his nephew who died last year. Cornelius’s mother Kathleen, pictured above, presented the trophy to the winning team. October 12, 1995


Harry O’Keeffe, Clonmel, celebrated his 80th birthday at a surprise party organised by his family at Hotel Minella on November 18, 1995. A large group of friends and old workmates turned up to join in the celebrations. Harry started his career in the provisions department of Lipton’s supermarket, one of the first in Clonmel. He then worked in Five Star until it was taken over by Quinnsworth. Harry is pictured above with some of his workmates from his days in Five Star. Back Standing L to R: Billy O’Donnell, Damian Sheehan, Harry O’Keeffe, Maurice Lynch, Paddy Murphy, Dick Carroll. Front L to R: Tommy Ryan, Paddy O’Donnell, Frank Olney and John O’Sullivan.


Pupils from Nano Nagle National School Fethard pictured above after winning the award for the tidiest school in Fethard in the Tipperary S.R. Tidy Schools competition on November 25, 1995. Included in the photograph are front L to R: Cllr. Neddy Brennan; Cllr John Holohan; Cllr. Jimmy Hogan Vice Chairman S.R. County Council; Ms Maureen Maher, teacher; Ms. Mary Carroll, Environmental Officer; Cllr. Susan Meagher.

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.

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