Fethard Festival is in Fethard Town Park this year!
Fethard Festival Family Fun Day will take place on Sunday, June 12, this year from 2pm to 5pm at Fethard Town Park. Please spread the word – Lots of fun to be had with bouncy castles, slides, obstacles course. sport, food stalls, arts and craft. Fancy Dress - all children that come along in Fancy Dress up get a prize!

• Busking Competition - Get in touch to win cash prize!
• Want a stall - Get in touch before Friday, June 3, to secure place 
• All Ireland Tug of War
• Archery & Kick Boxing Demonstration
• Local Pubs Wheelbarrow Race 

Died Recently
The death has occurred on Saturday, May 21, 2022, of Eamon Walsh, The Glebe, Coolmoyne, Fethard, peacefully under the care of Sonas Nursing Home, Carrick-on-Suir. Predeceased by his loving wife Breda and sister Mary, and dearly beloved father of Denis, John, Edmond, Pat, Margaret, Thomas and Gerard. Sadly missed by his sister Margaret, daughters-in-law, son-in-law, grandchildren, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, extended family and wide circle of friends. May He Rest In Peace.

Reposing at his son's residence in Curraghduff, Carrick-on-Suir, this Tuesday evening, May 24, from 5pm to 8pm for family and friends. Reposing at McCarthy's Funeral Home, Fethard, on Wednesday May 25, from 5.30pm with removal to the Holy Trinity Parish Church, Fethard, at 7pm. Funeral Mass on Thursday at 11am followed by burial in Calvary Cemetery.

Parish Church Lotto Draw Results
There was no jackpot winner in this week's Parish Lotto on Thursday, May 19. The numbers drawn were 5, 10, 14 and 20. The winner of the weekly draw for €30 was Caroline Harvey. Next week's Jackpot for Thursday, May 26, will be €1,625.

Please pass the word on and invite friends and family to take part. You can help our Parish in a real, practical way.  Thank you for your support and the best of luck in our next weekly draw. PLAY OUR LOTTO NOW

Cloneen-Fethard road closed for resurfacing
Cloneen-Fethard road will be closed next week Monday, May 23, to Friday, May 27, for resurfacing from 8am to 5pm. Road will be open for local access only. Any questions please feel free to contact Cllr Mark Fitzgerald.

A wonderful morning in Killusty

Killusty National School are now accepting enrollments for September. Contact the school for further information on Tel: 052 6132314, or by email: killustyns@gmail.com or visit school WEBSITE

A wonderful morning in Killusty

On Sunday, May 15, 2022, a 5K fun-run took place in the village of Killusty – a fund-raising event organised by the Parents' Association in support of Killusty National School, enjoyed by one and all!

The sun never announced itself that morning which was a welcoming relief for our runners and walkers, but dry and pleasant and a perfect day for outdoor activities. After much limbering up, Christy Williams did the honours of announcing the starting count-down, and we were off!

Our well-organised fun run was managed masterfully by Bernard Feery and enjoyed immensely by all participants. The run was followed up by a fun-filled open morning in Killusty N.S. where visitors were warmly welcomed by school staff. The children’s wonderful art work and projects took centre stage and were appreciated by all our visitors. Parents helped out with some much-needed refreshments and activities were provided for young and old alike.

Social Dance Classes at Fethard Ballroom

Social Dancing Classes at Fethard Ballroom every Thursday night from 8pm to 9.30pm, commencing Thursday, May 26, 2022. Classes €10, pay as you go. All are Welcome. For more information contact: Yvonne at Tel: 087 2448535.

Fethard & Killusty Area Athletics
Closing date for Entries in Fethard & Killusty Area Athletics is Sunday next, May 22nd at 11.59pm. Anybody interested please email fethard-killusty@comunitygames.eu. with your details. Entry fee €3.00.

Events are: Boys and Girls

• U8 60m, U8 80m
• U10 100m U10 200m
• U12 100m, U12 200m, U12 600m
• U14 100m U14 800m
• U16 100m, U16 200m, U16 1500m
• U12 Boys Long Puck
• U14 Girls Long Puck.

County Final will take place in Templemore on Bank Holiday Monday, June 6th. Two competitors from each event may be entered for the county finals if there are additional competitors we will run off eliminations during the week. Entries close with the County on Saturday, May 28th.

'Celebration of Life' - Service in support of families affected by Suicide
The 11.30am liturgy on Sunday, May 22, in the Augustinian Abbey, Fethard, will be dedicated to all who have been touched by the tragedy of suicide. It will be a community celebration and all are invited to participate. Appropriate music, readings etc will be used on the day.

GAA Sports Development Lotto
Fethard GAA Sports Lotto draw results for Tuesday, May 17, are as follows: the numbers drawn were: 1, 4, 22 and 23. There was no Jackpot winner and two Match Three winners who received €75 each: Wade O'Meara and Deirdre Royce. One Lucky Dip winner received €100: Marie Corbett. The next draw takes place on Tuesday, May 24, when the jackpot is €30,000 and the seller's prize is €1,000. The funds raised are used to promote sport in the local community.

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.

Social Dancing at Fethard Ballroom


Fethard Ballroom continues its social dancing on Sunday, May 22, to the music of ‘Jimmy Hogan. All are welcome to come along and enjoy a great night’s entertainment and social dancing from 8.30pm to 11.30pm. Admission is €10, which includes tea and cakes. For further information or for booking the ballroom, contact Eileen Coady, Tel: 086 0776420.

Poetry Day Ireland

The alchemy of words worked its magic once again on Poetry Ireland Day in the Fethard Horse Country Experience. Mary Hanrahan has hosted the event in this venue since it first opened in 2017. Even Covid 19 restrictions didn’t prevent the celebration of Poetry Ireland Day in Fethard over the last two years with it taking place instead via Zoom. Referring to that fact, Mary expressed her delight in everyone being able once more to gather together in person.  

Poets and poetry lovers came together to share poems old and new and, as usual, this year’s theme Written in the Stars was open to interpretation. Mary opened the proceedings by reading Jessica Traynor’s My Aunt Reads the Tarot, one of the poems featured on the poetry cards produced cards this year by Poetry Ireland. The session featured perennial favourites such as Wendell Berry’s The Peace of Wild Things and specially written themed pieces like Eileen Heneghan’s Written In the Stars.

Maureen Maher, a regular attendee, was absent this year but she still made her poetic debut by sending in her very first poem. All present felt truly privileged to share in that first reading of Yet Another Journey that’s Written in the Stars, a heartfelt tribute to her father.

The late Goldie Newport was also an enthusiastic supporter of Poetry Ireland Day so Mary Hanrahan had invited her niece, Edwina Newport, to come along to read something in Goldie’s memory. Edwina chose a poem from one of her aunts many poetry books, The Alto’s Lament, a most appropriate choice given Goldie’s lifelong love of, and involvement in, music. Edwina also read a beautiful traditional Irish blessing as a tribute to Goldie.

Michael Mallon read Patrick Kavanagh’s The Stars and later introduced a note of welcome humour with the quirkily amusing short poems I Like Stars, Let’s Go and How to be a Star.

Last year local poet, Terry Cunningham, published a collection of poems What to Say…A Life in Reverse and this year he came along to read his own Who Owns the Stars? regaling everyone with the tale of how the poem came to be.

Jasper Murphy popped in to share his story of Slievenamon’s connection to the famous American poet Emily Dickinson. The connection relates to one Maggie Maher, born on the slopes of Slievenamon, who emigrated to America and ended up working as a maid for Emily Dickinson. Despite the poet’s wish that all her writings be destroyed after her death, Maggie alerted Emily’s brother to the existence of a trunk full of poems that he duly had published, thus saving her legacy for posterity. The full story can be read in Jasper’s recent article printed in Ireland’s Own.

Clonmel poet Eileen Acheson came along to share two very lovely poems, the evocative The Place I’m From and the hopeful Everything was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt

The finale was a unexpectedly splendiferous performance of Lewis Carroll’s nonsense poem Jabberwocky; a tour de force that provided the perfect finale to a most enjoyable event. The poetry session ended in a flurry of goodbyes, thank yous to all involved and promises of poems a plenty next year!

The Holy Rosary for Peace
The Holy Rosary will be prayed at all four grottos in our parish during the month of May – for World Peace.

• KILLUSTY
  Sundays after Mass & Fridays at 7.30pm
• PARISH CHURCH
  Mondays at 6.30pm & Thursdays at 6.30pm
• AUGUSTINIAN ABBEY
  Sundays at 8pm & Wednesdays at 8pm
• CONVENT GARDEN
  Tuesdays at 6.30pm & Saturdays at 10am

All are welcome to join us in our prayers for World Peace.

Big Picture –'The Message of Fatima' – Dec. 1949

'The Message of Fatima' – December 1949

Full Cast of 'The Message of Fatima', produced by Sr. Teresa, and performed by the pupils of the Presentation Convent, Fethard, in the Capitol Cinema on Thursday, December 15 and Friday, December 16, 1949, at 8pm. There was also a matinee held at 3pm on Thursday, December 15, 1949. The Programme, printed by Corbett’s Printing Works, Clonmel, was sold for 3d. The audience were also kindly asked to, “Please do not applaud during the performance.”

See how many faces you can put to the names listed below, taken from the Programme printed in 1949?

You can zoom in closer to see more detail by clicking the photograph to zoom-in and double-clicking the photograph to zoom-out. If you can help with further information please let us know. Your comments, names or corrections are always welcome to: fethardnews@gmail.com

"What memories – my mother making our outfits, trousers for Marie, angel's dress for me, with wide butter muslin sleeves – how wonderful to see this picture after all this time. Many thanks Betty Dineen."

'DRAMATIS PERSONAE'
Our Lady of Fatima (A. Tierney); Holy Family (R. Walsh), (A. Tierney), (M. Barry); The Angel of Peace (R. Walsh), Lucia Dos Santos (R. O’Donnell); Lucia’s Cousins, Jacinto Marto (M. McCarthy) and Francisco Marto (M. Dineen); Lucia’s Mother (J. Smith); Jacinta’s Mother (A. Stapleton); Friends of the children, Zinda (P. Byard), Carmo (P. Sheehan), Rosa (E. Walsh); Neighbour (L. Meagher); A Lisbon Reporter (M. Grant); Speaker (K. Mackey).

BYSTANDERS
K. Barry, M. Burke, K. Carroll, M. Cummins, N. Cummins, K. McCormack, M. O’Connell, J. O’Connell, K. O’Connell, M. Quigley, K. Russell, M. Whelan, K. White, M. Woodlock.

VERSE SPEAKERS
M. Butler, M. Butler, M. Dwyer, J. Fergus, J. Grady, E. McCarthy, A. McDonnell, N. McDonnell, J. Maher, C. Mathews, M. McSweeney, M. Napier, M. O’Flynn, R. O’Flynn, K. Ryan, R. Walsh, C. Williams, E. Whyte.

CHOIR
M. Brennan, M. Brown, A. Cassells, K. Cassells, R. Cassells, P. Danagher, B. Dwyer, N. Evans, K, Fahey, P. Fogarty, R. Grady, T. Henchy, A. Holway, M. Horan, M. McCarthy, I. McGrath, M. Moore, C. Morrissey, R. Morrissey, A. Morrissey, B. McSweeney, C. O’Donnell, M. O’Donnell, C. O’Rourke, A. O’Sullivan, J. Pollard, R. Purcell, E. Purcell, K. Ryan, J. Sayers, R. Sayers, M. Sheehan, A. Skehan, R. Tierney, P. Wall, A. Walsh, N. Ward, B. Whelan, M. Whelan.

MYSTERIES OF THE ROSARY
C. Brett, M. Fitzgerald, A. Flynn, R. Hanley, A. Hurley, R. Kenny, M. Murphy, H. Mulligan, M. O’Brien, A. O’Neill, B. Ryan, R. Ryan, C. Sayers, M. Sayers, D. Wall.

ANGELS
M. Bulfin, R. Clarke, B. Dineen, T. Fergus, H. Fergus, B. Hurley, A. Scofield, U. Whyte.

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 . . .

This week we have a selection taken from the Fethard/London Reunion Festival held in 1995. We've also included a list of the Festival highlights that took place over the week. If you have any comments or further information, we would love to hear from you. Email: fethardnews@gmail.com

Mary Hanrahan and Gerry Long at Fethard Historical Society's stall at the Fethard/London Reunion Festival held in 1995.


'Calf Crap' fundraising stall manned by Liam Hayes and Seamus Barry on Sunday, July 2, 1995.


L to R: David O'Donnell, Mayor of Fethard, with Kathleen Barry and Bernard Walsh on The Square, Sunday, July 2, 1995.


Fethard Garden Club served teas on the Square.


Michael O'Dwyer's 'Smash the Face' stall.


Kevin Ryan looking after Killusty Soccer Club's 'High Roller' stall on The Square on Sunday, July 2, 1995


“Don’t Fence Me In” one of the entries in the Fancy Dress Parade on Sunday, July 2, 1995. L to R: Marie Moclair, Jimmy Ryan and Marie Crean.


'The Field', Fethard Juvenile GAA entry in the Fancu Dress Parade 1995.


'On Your Toes' dancing demonstration in St. Patrick's Place.

Pictured home on holidays at the Fethard London Reunion Festival are L to R: Karen Lloyd, James Kearney and Pat Fitzgerald.


'Historic Fethard Medieval Town', Fethard Historical Society's float in the parade.


'Days of Wine and Roses', Hogan Musical Society's entry in the parade.


'Fethard's Wall Draws Them All', Nano Nagle School entry in the 1995 Fancy Dress Parade.


'Squaws in the Move Looking for a Reservation' one of the entries in the 1995 Fancy Dress Parade. L to R: Ann Marie Connolly, Jane Hayes and Sara Healy.

Highlights of the Fethard / London Reunion Festival’ in 1995

Fethard & Killusty Community Council's ‘Fethard / London Reunion Festival’ took place from Tuesday, June 27, to Sunday, July 2, 1995.

The festival programme commenced on Tuesday night, June 27, with an organ recital, hymns, and poetry readings at Holy Trinity Church of Ireland, proceeds towards Holy Trinity Church of Ireland maintenance fund. Also, Fethard Historical Society held an enjoyable ‘Fethard Social Night’ at Pat O’Shea’s Lounge, which included a ‘Fun Table Quiz’ and the official launch of their new colour postcards of Ferhard. On the Wednesday night, the Abymill hosted a controversial talk entitled ‘A Travellers Life’, given by a modern-day traveller who told his story and the history of the travelling community of South Tipperary.

The festival had a great treat in store for Irish traditional music fans on Thursday June 29, when Máirtín O'Connor and the Chatterbox Band played in Fethard Ballroom, featuring Ireland’s top musicians, Jimmy Faulkner (guitar), Dave Prim (bass), Garry Ó Briain (mandocello, keyboards, guitar) and Martin Murray (mandolin, fiddle, banjo). Máirtín played soloist in Bill Whelan’s highly popular ‘Riverdance’.

Friday night commenced with a sponsored walk up through Grove Wood, via the old ‘Mass Paths’, starting from Jesuits walk at 7.30pm. On the way, light refreshments were served at Tim Goodbody's new house on Market Hill. Proceeds went to Fethard Tidy Towns and Holy Trinity Church of Ireland. Later that night Darren Holden and his band played at the ‘Festival Club’ in the Ballroom. This was Darren’s last performance before touring with ‘Boyzone’.

A ‘Monster Progressive 25 Drive’ took place in the Ballroom on Saturday night July 1, with £400 in prizes (for 20 tables) and the fabulous ‘Pheasant Pluckers’ played their mix of country / bluegrass music in the Fethard Arms.

On Festival Sunday the Fancy Dress Parade starting at 2pm outside the Ballroom and made its way up Main Street to St. Patrick’s Place where the judging took place. Music on The Square was provided by Ireland’s leading bluegrass band, ‘The Flint Hill Boys’. Fethard Garden Club served teas and held a floral exhibition in the Augustinian Abbey all afternoon. Local students displayed their works of art in the Town Hall, and all the usual sideshows, craft stalls, baby show, dog show took place on The Square. The festival concluded later that night with a ‘Farewell Party in the Ballroom with music provided by ‘The Sheehans’.

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.