‘Tipperariana Book of the Year 2020’
Fethard Historical Society, organisers of the annual Tipperariana Book Fair, have announced the recipient of their ‘Tipperariana Book of the Year’ for 2020. The award goes to, ‘The Troubles in the Glen’, a book compiled by The Lisnagaul Memorial Committee under the stewardship of its chairman, James Hayes. The very handsome publication was designed and printed by Fitzpatrick Printers in nearby Tipperary town.

The book is a local community’s contribution to the ‘Decade of Remembrance’, on the centenary of the struggle for Independence in Ireland one hundred years ago. The Glen in question is, of course, the Glen of Aherlow, and the stories from ‘The Glen’ and the Galtee Mountain area are in many ways, synonymous with the War of Independence in County Tipperary.

The first Tipperariana Book Fair took place in 1996, and since 2002 the organisers have sponsored this annual prestigious award to their chosen book relating to, or of, Tipperary. The award is presented annually in conjunction with their nationally recognised Book Fair held in Fethard on the second Sunday of February each year.

Unfortunately, due to Covid restrictions, there was no Book Fair this year, but the ‘Book of the Year’ award for 2020 goes to, ‘The Troubles in the Glen’ – the 19th recipient of the award. A ceremony to present the award to publishers – The Lisnagaul Memorial Committee – will hopefully take place later in the year when Covid Restrictions allow. For further information email Fethard Historical Society: history@fethard.com

GAA Sports Development Lotto
Fethard GAA Sports Lotto draw results for Friday, March 26, are as follows: the numbers drawn were 18, 27, 34 and 35. There was no jackpot winner and one ‘match three’ winner who received €50: Kevin Ryan, Killusty, Fethard. Two lucky dip winners received €25 each: Michael Sheehan, Killusty, Fethard; and Leslie Looby, St Patricks Place, Fethard.

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 next draw takes place on Friday, April 2, when the jackpot is €29,700 and the seller's prize is €1,000. The funds raised are used to promote sport in the local community.

'Big Picture' – Killenaule Welcome for All-Ireland Hurling Champions 1989

Were you in Killenaule on September 25, 1989, to welcome 'Babs' Keating (manager) and the Tipperary Senior Hurling Team with Liam McCarthy Cup following their All-Ireland Victory over Antrim in the All-Ireland Final played at Croke Park, Dublin, on September 3. The Ulster champions lost to their Munster opponents on a score line of 4-24 to 3-9. You can zoom in closer to see more detail by clicking the photograph to zoom-in, and double-clicking the photograph to zoom-out.

A notable game
The game is notable for a number of reasons. This was Antrim's second ever appearance in an All-Ireland final, some forty-six years after they lost to Cork at the same stage of the championship. Nicky English set a scoring record for a single player in the modern era as he notched up 2-12 to win his first All-Ireland Senior medal. The victory for Tipperary, eighteen years after their last in 1971, also preserved the county's unique record of winning an All-Ireland title in every decade of the GAA's existence. Tipperary were captained by Bobby Ryan.

Died Recently
The death has occurred on Sunday, March 28, 2021, of Susan Bates, Ballinard, Fethard. Deeply regretted by her daughter Tara, her son Jedd, son-in-law Darren McGrath, grand-daughters Rylii and Rhys, her father Ken and Susannah Bates, her mother Theresa Raftery, sisters Katherine Cooke and Fiona Matthews, her brothers Robert and Richard, relatives and friends. May she rest in peace.

In accordance with HSE and Government guidelines, Susan's Funeral will be private for family only. The Funeral Mass may be watched on parishchurch.net on Wednesday, March 31, at 11am. Messages of support for the family and condolences may be left on the online condolence page by CLICKING HERE. No flowers please.

Easter Services in Holy Trinity Parish Church

Palm Sunday – Sunday, March 28, Mass at 11am
Spy Wednesday – March 31, Mass & Reconciliation Service at 7pm
Holy Thursday – April 1, Mass of the Lord's Supper at 7pm
Good Friday – April 2, Celebration of the Lord's Passion at 3pm
Stations of the Cross – April 2, at 7pm
Holy Saturday – April 3, Easter Vigil at 7pm
Easter Sunday – April 4, Mass at 11am

All services can be viewed live or the recording watched at parishchurch.net
The Easter clergy collection is being taken up this weekend. Also if you have Trocaire boxes or a donation these can be returned at your convenience. If you can change your coins to notes this would be appreciated.

This year’s Holy Week is being observed, like last year, in very different circumstances due to the coronavirus pandemic. While our world has turned upside down – don’t give up hope. God is with you. Pray. Pray to God for yourself, your family, for our health care facilities and staff. Implore God’s mercy on us all and on humanity so that He will prepare our hearts for his love. Ask for a greater faith in Jesus even though we cannot see him with our eyes, since He says, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe”. (Jn.20:29) Faith in Jesus is then lived out in charity; in reaching out to others: family members, neighbours, the sick, the housebound, the homeless – reaching out in any way we can, mindful of the restrictions we must adhere to.

On Good Friday, Jesus will take up the Cross. We know a bit more about the Cross these days. Let us carry it with Him and believe that Easter will come, the Son will rise, and all will be well. We would like to wish all our parishioners a happy, healthy and peaceful Easter.

Augustinian Abbey Easter Programme

Saturday, March 27, at 7.30pm
At this mass palm will be blessed.
Also a celebration of Reconciliation will take place online.
Sunday, March 28, at 11.30am
Blessing of palm at this mass. Also a celebration of Reconciliation will take place.
Holy Thursday, April 1, at 7.30pm
Mass of The Lord's Supper.
Good Friday, April 2, at 3pm
Celebration of The Passion of The Lord.
Holy Saturday, April 3, at 8pm.
Easter Vigil
Easter Sunday, April 4, at 11.30am.
Easter Sunday Mass

In line with government instructions with regard to public gatherings ALL services will be broadcast online at fethardabbey.com

New Parish Lotto launched
We are delighted to announce the launch of our Parish Lotto, a fundraising initiative that I hope will be of great benefit to the parish. You might be aware that shortly before the start of the Covid 19 pandemic we were lucky to be able to install the live streaming camera service and a new sound system in the Parish Church which has been a great lifeline for our parishioners at home and away. The new Blessed Sacrament Chapel was also a recent undertaking. We are now hoping to repair the organ in the parish church but this will require further assessment and a considerable investment. With your support, I hope that we will be able to undertake this and other projects in the future.



We understand the financial position for many of our families and hope that the weekly option of €2 per line will allow everybody to contribute.
If you can contribute 3 lines for €5 it would be hugely appreciated and you never know you might just win! Please pass the word on and invite friends and family to take part. You can help in a real, practical way. Thank you for your support and the best of luck in the weekly draw. PLAY NOW

– Fr. Liam Everard (PP), Fr. Tom Breen (AP) & the Parish Team

Promoting biodiversity in your garden with nest boxes


In this video, local man, Kevin Collins of Bird Watch Ireland, demonstrates how a family can encourage biodiversity in their garden by building and erecting a nest box at their home. The exercise will promote the local population of wild birds and also provide endless mental stimulation for the householder. The specifications to build a bird box can be downloaded by CLICKING HERE

This video was supported by Tipperary County Council through their Healthy Ireland Initiative.

Clocks go Forward next weekend

Clocks are set to go forward at the end of March, with daylight saving time beginning on Sunday, March 28, 2021. Ireland will lose one hour’s sleep as the clocks go forward to mark the start of what is called ‘British Summer Time’. Summertime was first proposed in the UK by William Willett, who felt that valuable daylight was being wasted in the mornings during the summer months because people were still in bed.

Proponents argue that British Summer Time is good for physical and psychological health, particularly in terms of relieving the symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). The lighter evenings are also said to reduce road traffic accidents and crime.

Ireland, along with the rest of the EU, was supposed to do away with the change of clocks this year, but due to complications with both Brexit and the pandemic it has been delayed.

Knockroe Wind Farm update March 2021

View towards the site to the East from a local road at Curraheen

ABO Wind Ireland Limited (ABO Wind) are developing a wind farm proposal in your local area within the townlands of Knockroe, Kilnagranagh and Tullowcussaun, Co. Tipperary. Since launching our project proposals back in December 2020, we have spoken with members of the community living in the immediate vicinity of the proposed wind farm site as well as other interested individuals to discuss the proposals and address any initial comments or concerns. We are sending out this project update newsletter to ensure that people in the community are kept informed 

Following initial feasibility studies, we considered that the site had the capacity to accommodate up to 8 wind turbines. Over the last few months, we carried out more detailed planning and environmental assessments of the site. From these assessments we have reduced the number of turbines and are now proposing a Wind Farm development of up to 7 turbines. The most up to date site layout is provided below: 

Next Steps
The proposed Knockroe Wind Farm project is now at a stage where we are beginning to conclude the environmental assessments that are required to inform the final layout of the wind farm. Throughout this stage of the project, engagement with the local community, interested stakeholders and other statutory consultees will continue. We are targeting submitting the planning application in the Second Quarter of 2021. However, as previously outlined, a virtual public exhibition will be organised prior to submission of the planning application. Details of this exhibition will be circulated in due course.  For Further information download/view our March 2021 update newsletter by CLICKING HERE

Virtual 'Daffodil Day' in Fethard on Friday


Daffodil day this year will be quite different to previous years. Due to restrictions our usual events are curtailed and we take our collections online. I've set up my JustGiving page to support cancer patients and their families this Daffodil Day on Friday, March 26. Please go to the Fethard Daffodil Page to make an online donation by CLICKING HERE

Now more than ever, cancer patients need our support. Daffodil Day is a day for us all to give hope to people affected by cancer. Funds raised during Daffodil Day are used across the country to help the 44,000 people who will hear the words "you have cancer" each year. Your kind donation will ensure the Irish Cancer Society can continue to provide free services, such as the Freephone Support Line, the Night Nursing Service, counselling, and so much more. Together we can ensure that no-one has to go through their cancer journey alone.

Fethard Ladies Football play BINGO
Tipperary Ladies Football are running an Online Bingo Bonanza Fundraising Night on Easter Sunday at 8pm with €2,000 in prizes up for grabs.

All Support greatly appreciated. CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS

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

Fethard & District Photos from the past . . .

L to R: Mrs Margaret Keane, The Green: Mrs Margaret Fitzgerald, Kiltinan; Kathy Aylward, Killusty and Kathleen (Quirke) Whelan, Clonmel and formerly from St Patricks Place, photographed at the Mass at Calvary Cemetery on May 28, 1999.


Nano Nagle Primary School pupils at rehearsal for 'Toby's Ark' and 'Paradise Island'. Back L to R: Laura Moloney, Colm Shanahan, Danielle Lawrence, Emma Walsh, Kelly Walsh and Aisling Dwyer. Front center: Tommy Sheehan. May 21, 1999.


Faith Friends preparing with Fethard First Communion Class. L to R: Mike O'Hagan, Siobhán Pollard, Shane Sullivan, Charlene Burke and Michelle Bradshaw. May 11, 1999.


Carrick-on-Suir winners of the Community Games County Variety Final held in Cloneen Hall on Saturday night, May 1, 1999.


Drangan & Cloneen who came second in the Community Games County Variety Final held in Cloneen Hall on Saturday night, May 1, 1999.


Mrs Kitty Ahearne, Main Street, holding her baby son Patrick.


William Looby and Pat Quirke at the Tipperary Hunt Opening Meet in Fethard.


Two soldiers in uniform. (Irish Civil War) Any information welcome?


A soldier. (Irish Civil War) Any information welcome?


P. Quinn's 'Brambley' winner of Farmers Race Point-to-Point, Tipperary Hunt, at Lanespark 1935. Ridden by Gus McCarthy.


A newspaper cutting of 26 pupils attending Presentation Convent, Fethard. These girls, with the aid of their most zealous teacher, Sr. M. Peter, collected substantial sums of money for the Presentation Indian Missions. So far the names we have received are: Back L to R: Margaret Murray, Mary Kennedy, Ena Curran, Ronnie Fergus, Avril O'Meara, Breda O'Meara, Monica Sayers, Nellie Tobin, Chrissie Bradshaw. Middle L to R: Sr. Peter, Evelyn Leahy, Nora Ryan, Monica Lonergan, Mary Teehan, Gabrielle Schofield, Ann Healy, Peggy O'Neill, Bridget Treacy, Pauline Croke. Front L to R: Ann Slattery, ?, Ina Holohan, ?, Betty Egan, Maeve Shea, ?, and Teresa Maher.

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 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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