Ladies Group enjoying Lunch in Community Café


Members of Fethard Ladies Group enjoying a very nice lunch on Thursday, April 30, in Fethard Community Cafe.

'Opening the Archives' launch

Tipperary County Council Library Service invites you to attend the launch of a new series of short documentary films, Opening the Archives, which will be performed by Cllr. Peggy Ryan, Cathaoirleach of Thurles Municipal District.
The event will take place in the Source Library, Thurles on Friday, May 15, at 2.30pm with a special screening of one of the short films.

The film series reveals the local history collections in the Tipperary Studies department, with archival material carefully chosen to highlight the uniqueness of Tipperary's history, heritage and culture. The project was made possible with funding support from the Heritage Officer. We would be delighted if you could join us for this special occasion.
Light refreshments will be served. Kind regards, Stephanie Woods. RSVP to: studies@tipperarycoco.ie

GAA Sports Development Lotto Results
Fethard GAA Sports Lotto draw results for Tuesday, April 28, 2026, are as follows: the numbers drawn were: 11, 26, 33 and 34. We had no Jackpot winner and no Match 3 winner. One lucky dip winner Abby & Alex O'Donnell, received €100. The next draw takes place on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, when the jackpot is €10,200.

Doagh Equestrian Pop-Up Clearance Sale


Doagh Equestrian Pop-Up Clearance Sale are back to Fethard Convent Community Hall on Thursday, May 21, 2026, from 4pm to 7.30pm, with lots of excellent bargains. Whether you’re getting show-ready or just love a bargain, this is one you don’t want to miss. Stock is heavily discounted on Pop-up days, so get there early to find the bargains: Fly Rugs from €29; 350g Turnouts €50; 50g Turnouts from €45; 0g Turnouts €36; Stable Rugs €20; Wheelbarrows €50; Base Layers & Riding Tights €10; Saddle Cloths €7; Polo Bandages €5; Micklem Bridles €50; Premier Equine Jackets €70; Trimmers €19; Riding Hats from €50; Brushes from €1; Whips €1; and loads more on the day!

Fethard 'Split The Cash' Community Draw

CLICK HERE 
to enter the next draw online!

Congratulations to Tanya Lawrence who won this week’s Community ‘Split the Cash’ draw for €202 on Thursday, April 30, 2026. Ticket was drawn by Mark Sullivan. Thank you to everyone who supports our weekly draw. All money raised from this draw will be used to benefit our town.

Our next draw takes place on Thursday, May 7, 2026. Envelopes are €2 each or 3 for €5 and are available at the Tirry Community Centre, Kennys Centra Fethard, Lonergan's Bar, Fethard, and Butlers Off Licence, Fethard. CLICK HERE  to play online.

The Clonmel Union of Parishes host three concerts
The parishioners of Old St. Mary’s Church are delighted to announce that they will host three different concerts over the next few weeks, all with different genres, with something for all musical tastes. The concerts are always very enjoyable and will enable us to raise funds towards the repairs of the church roof over the chancel area and interior work, both of which are major projects. Old St Mary’s Church has built up a fine reputation for hosting concerts and has outstanding acoustics and a wonderful ambience. The Select Vestry continually work very hard to maintain this building for future generations and appreciate any support that the local community can give.

The following concerts will take place:

• Sunday May 10, Clontempo Choir Clonmel will perform Messe in D by Antonín Dvořák in Old St Mary’s Church, Mary St. Clonmel, on Sun May 10th 2026 at 7.00pm. Soloists: Polly Roche (Soprano), Gina Oberoi (Mezzo-Soprano), Joe Roche (Tenor). Rory Dunne (Bass / baritone). Accompanied by wind quintet, Flute: Keith Dwyer-Greene, Oboe: Ben Gannon, Clarinet: Sarah Dewhurst, French Horn: Michael Long, Bassoon: Katie Cody. Conductor & Musical Director: Robin Pender. Tickets available from any choir member or at the door on the night. Admission €15
  
  
• On Friday May 29, Belle Voci Choir and the Libra String Quartet will come together for a Night of Stage and Screen drawing on the greatest music from Theatre and film. Tickets will be on sale on the night at the door.
  
  
• On Sunday June 7, we are delighted to welcome back the Clonmel Concert Band for an afternoon concert of well known music which is always very popular. The concert begins at 3pm and will last approximately one hour. Admission is free and there will be a retiring collection for the ongoing work in the church.

Parish Church Lotto Summer Giveaway Draw


Every line entered in our fundraiser on Thursday, May 21, 2026, can win our Jackpot and will also have a free chance to win one of our parish spot prizes. Plus every line has a free chance of winning a Summer Giveaway Competition prize (see the image above). This summer giveaway competition is open to all supporters who have a ticket in a fundraiser run by our service provider ‘Our Fundraiser.’ To Win - at 7pm on Thursday, May 21, 2026 a participant will be chosen at random by ‘Our Fundraiser’ for each prize. They must answer the phone within five rings and correctly answer the following question below to win a prize. In what season is July? (a) Winter, (b) Spring, (c) Summer.

Last Week's Lotto Draw Results
There was no jackpot winner in the Parish Lotto on Thursday, April 30, 2026. The numbers drawn were 2, 4, 22, and 24. The winner of the weekly draw for €30 was Gwen Cooke. Next week's draw takes place on Thursday, May 7, when the Jackpot is €5,000.

We are delighted with the support shown for our Parish Lotto, it is a fundraising initiative that is of great benefit to the parish. Please pass the word on and invite friends and family to take part. You can join, see the draw results, and details of how your support is making a big difference at: https://www.ourfundraiser.ie/org/fethardkillusty

National Lottery 'Calling All Good Causes'


The National Lottery are delighted to let you know that entries for their brand-new 'Good Cause Legends' competition are now open! If your organisation has previously received National Lottery part-funding through the HSE National Lottery Grant Scheme, this means you are eligible to enter and we encourage you to apply. It couldn’t be easier.

The National Lottery Good Cause Legends celebrates the people and projects who are making a legendary difference across Ireland — with the support of National Lottery Good Causes part-funding. 

This isn’t just about what you do. 

• It’s about why it matters. 
  
• It’s about the moments that changed lives. 
  
• It’s about the stories that make you/your organisation a true Legend. 

Who can enter?
The competition is open to any organisation, club, individual or project in any of the twenty-six counties in the Republic of Ireland that received funding from any grant, scheme or programme part-funded by the National Lottery in the calendar years 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 & 2025.

Why enter?
Following a judging process, 9 Good Cause Legends will be selected across three categories:

• 1) Sport & Wellness Legends
  
• 2) Cultural & Heritage Legends
  
• 3) Community Legends

Each of the nine Good Cause Legends will receive an award of €15,000 and a bespoke trophy. Winners will be celebrated locally and nationally with a marketing promotional campaign.

Whether you support wellbeing through sport, preserve culture and heritage, support our youth, or work at the heart of your community, this is your opportunity to showcase the difference your work makes.

How to enter
You can check eligibility, review terms & conditions, and submit your entry online at: www.lottery.ie/goodcauselegends Entries are now open until Friday, May 22, 2026. We encourage you to put your organisation, project or group forward and become part of our 2026 List of Legends. For any queries, please reach out to us and we will be delighted to assist. Thank you for the inspirational work you do in your community.

Johnny Sheehan - a living link to the past!

Johnny Sheehan (101) looking up the 1926 census and finding himself in the records of a very different Ireland.

The 1926 census was officially released in April 2026 by the National Archives of Ireland, exactly 100 years after it was taken. It is the first census carried out after independence and offers a remarkable snapshot of life in the early years of the Irish Free State. For families and local historians, it fills an important gap between the 1911 census and later records.

The records are available free of charge online through the National Archives website. You can search by name, county, townland, age, or occupation, making it easier than ever to trace relatives and neighbours. Once you find a match, you can view the original household return, which lists everyone in the home along with details such as relationships, religion, occupation, and whether they spoke Irish.

For communities like Fethard and Killusty, the census provides a valuable window into the past — showing households, farms, and familiar family names as they were a century ago. As Johnny reminds us, it’s not just history on paper — it’s living memory, still within reach.

Census Workshops
Tipperary Studies are running a number of workshops in libraries around the county as part of the Bealtaine Festival. Please find the dates, times and places of workshops on the 1926 Census in the poster below. We hope to help people navigate the census and investigate any issues we may come across. Stephanie Woods, Local Studies Librarian, Tipperary Studies, The Source, Thurles. T: 052 6166123; E: studies@tipperarycoco.ie: W: www.tipperarystudies.ie

Social Dancing at Fethard Ballroom
Social Dancing continues at Fethard Ballroom on Sunday night, May 3, to the music of 'Silver Moon'. All are welcome to come along and enjoy a terrific night’s social dancing from 8.30pm to 11.30pm. Admission is €10, which includes refreshments.

Fethard Community Playgroup AGM
The Annual General Meeting of Fethard Community Playgroup will take place on Wednesday, May 27, at 7pm in the Playschool. All are welcome.

What's On Clonmel – weekly guide to entertainment
Welcome to the online version of What’s On Clonmel, your weekly guide to events and entertainment. Find your copy in pubs and shops across town, or subscribe to receive it in your inbox. Now you can also browse and submit events in our interactive calendar!

Faces and Places from the Past
This year Fethard will celebrate 'One Hundred Years of Carnivals and Festivals' and this week we feature photographs from the 1980 Fethard Festival Fancy Dress Parade, which we hope some will encourage you to make a 'Special' effort to take part in our Hundred Anniversary Parade and Festival which takes place this year on Sunday, August 16, 2026, which is also part of this year's Heritage Week

Fethard's First Carnival on Sunday, June 27, 1926,
Fethard has a long history of running Carnivals, which first started in 1926 and reached its peak in the late 1940s, when it attracted thousands of visitors from all over Munster, that was of course, when Fethard had a busy railway station with many trains coming from all directions to transport the crowds. This annual Carnival remained an annual event and was continually used to raise funds for community projects.

"The first Fethard Carnival which was held on Sunday, June 27 1926, in the spacious sports ground at the rear of the old barracks, that proved an unqualified success in every respect. The events, which were favoured by glorious summer weather, attracted an immense attendance from a wide area. Over a thousand people availed of the special trains from Clonmel, while the special from Farranaleen also brought a large contingent. Huge crowds travelled by road also, so that the large sports ground was packed with a happy throng who came with the two-fold object of supporting a good cause, and, at the same time, having a most enjoyable days outing.

The event was opened by a grand fancy dress parade through the streets to the grounds headed by the Industrial School Band. This in itself was a sight worth witnessing. The participants showed the utmost taste and creative initiate that did them credit, and the result was a beautiful spectacular display. The spacious grounds had been admirably decorated and conveniently laid out to accommodate the various forms of entertainment and side shows, and from start to finish there was that go about the whole affair which did not allow of a dull moment."

We invite comments and further information or corrections for the following photographs from the 1980 Fancy Dress Parade. Please let us know any names, or any other information that we can add to our files for future generations. If anyone can help us, please contact us by email at:  fethardnews@gmail.com

Fethard Festival Fancy Dress parade 1980 individual entries photographed in the Barrack Field 'Charlie's Angels' L to R: Grace Nagle, Sharon Carroll, Marion Thompson and Mary Shanahan.


Fethard Festival Fancy Dress parade 1980 individual entries photographed in the Barrack Field. 'Here's Lucy' L to R: Bernadette Blake, Sandra O'Donnell and Sinead Blake.


Fethard Festival Fancy Dress parade individual entries photographed in the Barrack Field. 'A Bianconi Wedding'. L to R: Carmel Coffey on the bike, Ted Coffey and Clodagh Cooney in the pram, Thomas Coffey with Nicola O'Riordan. On the background is Eddie Coffey with his arms folded on the right.


Fethard Festival Fancy Dress parade individual entries photographed in the Barrack Field. This pretty girl, Deirdre Lawlor, accompanied by her many dolls in her parade entry 'The Doll and Her House'.


Fethard Festival Fancy Dress parade individual entries in the Barrack Field. Photographed in this parade entry 'Back from Ascot' are L to R: Teresa Lawlor cycling the bike, in the pram are Marguerite Lawlor with her cousin Teresa Coffey (Cahir), and Mildred Lawlor standing behind the pram.


Fethard Festival Fancy Dress parade individual entries photographed in the Barrack Field. 'Last of the Summer Wine'L to R: Paddy Ryan, John Ryan and Martin Ryan.


Fethard Festival Fancy Dress parade individual entries photographed in the Barrack Field. Tennis stars Mary Hurley (Martina Navratilova) and John Hurley (Björn Borg).


Fethard Festival Fancy Dress parade individual entries photographed in the Barrack Field. Martina Mullins and her brother Donal in 'A Scene from Strumpet City'.


Fethard Festival Fancy Dress parade individual entries photographed in the Barrack Field. Members of the Byrne family as 'We are the Famous Five'.


Fethard Festival Fancy Dress parade individual entries photographed in the Barrack Field. ’Going Home from the Poker Classic’ Fethard Festival Parade 1980 L to R: Barry Connolly, John Ward, Edmund O’Neill, Ted Connolly, Jimpy Connolly and Michael Whyte.


Fethard Festival Fancy Dress parade individual entries photographed in the Barrack Field. L to R: Stanley Murphy, Vincent Murphy and Fergus McCormack as 'The Dogs of War'.


Fethard Festival Fancy Dress parade individual entries photographed in the Barrack Field. 'The Special Branch'. L to R: Dermot Kane, John O'Riordan and Conor Kane.

Please send any comments, photo information, names or stories, to fethardnews@gmail.com

Fethard News for inclusion on this website
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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