show business - fethard · headed notepaper which was sent to jimmy o’shea, st. patrick’s...

SHOW BUSINESSAbove is a most interesting 50 years old showbusiness letter written on Duffy Circus

headed notepaper which was sent to Jimmy O’Shea, St. Patrick’s Place. The letter asksif Jimmy is interested in renewing his touring contract with the circus band for the

1949 season. A brilliant trumpet player Jimmy who had played with the No 1 ArmyBand, had, with brother Paud and Billy Mackey also from Fethard, toured previously

with the circus. Jimmy with his father and five brothers had played with the oldFethard Confraternity Brass Band and played with the Twilight Serenaders dance band

prior to emigrating to England where we are glad to report he is still going strong.

FETHARD & KILLUSTYNEWSLETTER

1998

Dedicated to our friends and relationsliving away from home

Copyright © 1998

Published by the Fethard & Killusty NewsletterISSN 1393-2721

Layout and design by Joe Kenny, Kenny Photo Graphics, FethardPrinted by Modern Printers Kilkenny

All rights reserved. No parts of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in anyform or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or anyinformation storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author.

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FETHARD & KILLUSTY NEWSLETTER 1998

Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5A forgotten graveyard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31A mother’s memories of Fethard . . . . . . . 24A room with a view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33Abbey Christmas greetings . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Abymill — The Mill (Fethard) Ltd . . . . . 55Annsgift — Memories of home . . . . . . . 73Annual Newsletter Contacts . . . . . . . . . 128Artist in Residence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Augustinian Abbey Restoration . . . . . . . 42Back to Britain on the Mail Train . . . . . . 62Blame the Normans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68Bring on the clowns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36Catering for your laundry . . . . . . . . . . . . 79Census of Ireland 1841 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119Church of Ireland News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Clashawley Pirates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99Clergy in the parish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Convenience Shop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115Dancing couple featured on television . . 79Day Care Centre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80Deaths in the parish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Designer Rosemarie Walsh . . . . . . . . . . 114Donations Received . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126Fethard & District Credit-Union Ltd . . . . 77Fethard & Killusty Community Games . . 64Fethard and Killusty Angling Club . . . . . 39Fethard and Killusty Muintir Council . . . 80Fethard Athletic Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28Fethard Badminton Club . . . . . . . . . . . . 109Fethard Ballroom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29Fethard Bridge Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55Fethard connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122Fethard Country Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72Fethard Historical Society . . . . . . . . . . . 45Fethard Irish Farmers Association . . . . . . 83Fethard Judo Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49Fethard Juvenile GAA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86Fethard Macra na Feirme . . . . . . . . . . . 123Fethard Open Coursing Club . . . . . . . . . 87Fethard Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88Fethard Senior GAA Club . . . . . . . . . . . 67Fethard’s Brasserie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118First Emigrants’ Newsletter . . . . . . . . . . . 5Gladiator H I-One . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

Greetings from Fethard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Highways and Byways . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100I never got my name on the bottle . . . . . 89I.C.A. Fethard Guild . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35If I could paint a Picture . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99Irish Red Cross Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98Irish Volunteers 1914 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121John Cantwell, Poet and Patriot . . . . . . . 50Kilnockin snaps from the 1940’s . . . . . . . 19Killusty Soccer Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41Lament for an Irish Mother . . . . . . . . . . . 99Legion of Mary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30Let the shoemaker stick to his last . . . . . 84Marriages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Meals on Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94More videos for hire than ever . . . . . . . 122My young life in Knockelly . . . . . . . . . . 91My Youthful days in Killusty . . . . . . . . 105Nano Nagle Primary School . . . . . . . . . 21New local solicitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82No particular place to go . . . . . . . . . . . . 25Our dear departed ‘98 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Over 75 years trading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104Paddy Dalton Honoured . . . . . . . . . . . . 120Parish Christmas Greetings . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Patrician Presentation Parents’ Assoc . . 117Patrician Presentation School . . . . . . . . 106Photographs — past and present . . . . . . . 13Racquetball revived in Coolmoyne . . . . . 94Senior Citizens Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Sister Mary Rita from Killusty . . . . . . . . 32Sister Philomena steps down . . . . . . . . 124St. Bernard’s Group Homes . . . . . . . . . 116St. Patrick’s Boys National School . . . . 102St. Rita’s Camogie Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57Table of contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2The Shore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96Thomas Lee remembered . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Thoughts from an Emigrant’s Room . . . 110Tidy Towns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81Tipperary’s medieval graveslabs . . . . . . . 44Tour de Fiodh Ard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58Trehy’s Garage reopened . . . . . . . . . . . . 78Visitors to Fethard (photographs) . . . . . . 40Visitors to Fethard (more photographs) . . 61

Table of contents

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The Fethard & Killusty Newsletteris celebrating its 40th production

with this issue. I would like to thank andacknowledge the work of the Legion ofMary members and all the extra non-Legion help that has kept this productionalive and well since 1959. It was neveran easy task, especially in the earlieryears, to produce an annual newsletterand then deliver it to our emigrants. I canremember Legion members having tomeet night after night just to address theenvelopes alone. Thankfully, with newtechnology we can now print the addresslabels in five minutes. The productioncosts have increased over the years, ashas our ever growing mailing list, so inorder to survive it was decided in 1992 tosell the newsletter locally and acknowl-edge donations over £5 received. A lookat the donation list will give you an ideaof the support we gratefully receive from

home and away. Thank you.Over the past few years the Legion of

Mary have eased their involvement withthe production and, on 10th November1997, they officially handed it over to thecurrent production team: myself, JoeKenny (editor), Carmel Rice (correspon-dence) and Brendan Kenny (mailinglist). In the interest of consistency andstability we have also asked the follow-ing to help in an advisory capacity:Austin O’Flynn, Percy O’Flynn,Kathleen Maher, Agnes Allen, ChristyWilliams, Agnes Evans, Gus Fitzgerald,Gemma Burke and Tony Newport. Allthe above have had involvement withthe Newsletter in the past.

On behalf of the above I would liketo wish our emigrants and readers a veryHappy Christmas and I hope you enjoythis our 40th issue.

Joe Kenny (editor)

Greetings from Fethard

Pictured at Fethard GAA Club’s Annual Dinner Dance held in Cashel on April 25th are L to R: Canon James Power P.P., Monsignor Christopher Lee and Fr. Ben O’Brien OSA (Prior).

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That time of year has rolled aroundonce again. We extend our greet-

ings from Fethard to all those who arearound the four corners of this world andwhose hearts still have a place forFethard and Killusty. As with any twelvemonths that have gone by we have hadhere times of sorrow and happiness. Eachyear brings with it time to say goodbye tothose friends of ours who have left thisworld (until please God we all meetagain), but there have been opportunitiesto say hello to the new members of ourcommunity, those born in 1998 andwhose time here, with the help of theLord, will encompass much of the newcentury which is around the corner.

As we ourselves approach the year1999, we have a great opportunity tolook back on times gone past, especiallyin regard to the last 100 years. There

have been many changes over this time,some of benefit to all, others of a morenegative nature, but nonetheless over thisperiod many people’s lives have greatlyimproved. Fethard and Killusty, alongwith the world, has changed dramatical-ly. During this coming year of 1999 wewill be seeing our locality as it is for thelast time this century and this millenni-um. May we take this opportunity toinvite you to come and see us at the turnof this new century and millennium.

Our prayer for you all, in whateverpart of the world you may be, is that youmay be safe and happy and as you con-tinue along the road of life that God’sblessing and gifts will always be yours inabundance.

Parish Christmas Greetings

May each day be blessed for you.May each hour be loved by you.

May each minute be precious to you.

Abbey Christmas greetings Fr. Ben O’Brien OSA

The people behind this publicationdeserve everyone’s thanks and

not a little praise. Probably more than any-one else they keep the sense of the widerFethard family alive both at home here andwherever you find yourself at the moment.

Christmas remains family time and theties that bind us together are tightened andtested as we make the midwinter journey

into a New Year. God walks all the stepswith us and rejoices when we are happy justas He shares the sadness when we are sad.

May He bless you and yours at thissacred commemoration in time of Hisunstinted willingness to share in our lives.Jesus Christ, the Baby of Bethlehem, theMan of Nazareth is Lord of Heaven andEarth forever.

Church of Ireland News

In May of this year Leslie Stewart,his wife Sandra and their children

Alistair and Leigh-Ann left our parish tolive in France. We wish them well intheir new life. Congratulations to proudparents Julian and Patricia Ponsonby

from London who christened their daugh-ter Lindsey Rose Ponsonby in HolyTrinity Church, Fethard, on 21st of June1998, and also to Geoffrey and EstherSmith from Killenaule who christenedtheir son Garry on 30th August 1998.

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We held a barbecue at Grove House on27th September to raise funds for theChurch. The setting was beautiful and thefood provided was delicious. We would liketo thank Michael and Marie Allen who pro-vided the beef, chicken and sausage burgersand who also gave up their valuable time tocook. The music was provided by the localbluegrass band ‘The Pheasant Pluckers’ andwas most entertaining. One even forgotabout the steady rain while listening to them.The weather indeed was unfortunate but

everyone who came enjoyed themselves.Again we would like to thank the people ofFethard for their support.

On the 10th October Jonathon Gilpinwas commissioned as a ‘Reader’ in theChurch of Ireland Diocese of Cashel andOssory. We wish him well in his work. OurSunday School was also well attended dur-ing the year with prize giving on the 11th ofOctober. Millennium plans for restoring thechurch bell are currently being discussed.More details next year.

Iwould like to thank all who sub-mitted articles and photographs for

this year’s issue, especially our regularcontributors and those who took the effortto write for the first time. Due to the lim-ited space, some articles are held overuntil next year. On the production side, Iwould like to thank Gemma Burke forproofreading; Michael Hall, Drangan, for

supplying interesting historical materialon Fethard — enough for the next tenyears; Carmel Rice for looking afterdonations and Brendan Kenny for keep-ing the mailing list up to date. I wouldlike to thank Liam Cloonan for his ‘local’articles and lastly, thanks to all who sub-scribed to our Church Gate Collectionand those who make annual donations.

Acknowledgements Joe Kenny (editor)

The publication of the first Fethard& Killusty Annual Emigrants’

Newsletter was a much discussed topic inFethard over the past few years and manyappeals were made for copies of the earlyissues if any still existed. This year ourappeal was answered by Pat Shine, for-merly from Crampscastle and now livingin London. Pat and his brother Tom fromCahir called to Rocklow Road on a visitto Fethard during the year. After a longchat about times past Pat mentioned thathe came across an old Newsletter in adrawer at his home in London. He was-n’t sure of the date but promised to senda copy on his return.

To my delight, some days later I

First Emigrants’ Newsletter — at lastreceived the promised copy and, betterstill, it actually mentions the fact that itwas the first attempt at sending aNewsletter from Fethard. It was datedon top, “Christmas 1960”, but onchecking the dates of the events anddeaths featured in it, we discovered thatthey all happened in 1959. We can onlyconclude that the Newsletter was pub-lished in December 1959 and postedbefore January 1960.

The Newsletter consisted of one pageprinted on both sides and to mark this, our40th publication, we now reprint, in thefollowing four pages, the text of the firstnewsletter with some added photographsrelating to the period.

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DEAR EMIGRANTSThis Newsletter comes to you our

Brothers and sisters who have found it nec-essary to leave home so as to obtainemployment. This is our first effort at send-ing a Newsletter to you. We hope that itscontents will be of interest to you all as wesend news of varied societies etc., whichare working in our parish and some gener-al news of the parish for the past year.

We the members of the Legion of Maryin Fethard wish you all a very Holy andHappy Christmas.

PARISH CLERGYParish Clergy are very Rev. J. J.

Cannon Ryan, P.P., V.F. Curates are Rev.Father T. Kennedy and Rev. Father T.Cooke. In the Augustinian Abbey Rev.Father E. Clifford, O.S.A., (Prior) and

Rev. Father R.A. Bell O.S.A. Rev. FatherBrennan O.S.A., has been recently trans-ferred to Clarepriory in Suffolk, Englandto a foundation of the Augustinian Orderopened in recent years. This is the firstsuch Foundation since the Reformationwhen the Augustinian Order was sup-pressed in England.

SCHOOLS Brother Kieran who was Superior in

Fethard has been transferred toCarrickmacross Patrician Monastery. Hedid very valuable work in the erection ofthe New Monastery in Fethard.

The results of the examinations werevery good this year. William Harrington,Crampscastle won a County CouncilScholarship. Miss Helen Fergus wonScholarship to the Munster Institute Cork.

SPECIAL REPRINT OF FIRST NEWSLETTER 1959NEWSLETTER TO EMIGRANTS FROM FETHARD PARISH

CHRISTMAS 1960

Fethard Patrician Brothers School Leaving Certificate Class Group 1959. Front L to R: Rae Molloy,Richard Butler, Tom Burke, Lory Dineen, Philip Ward, Tom Mackey, Eamon Maher and Damien McLellan.

Back: Frank Hughes, Bro Albert Small, Mr. Timmy O'Connor (teacher), Tommy Healy and Sean Evans.

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The new Mary Immaculate Hallrecently built by the Presentation Conventis a great asset to the children. Many niceplays and concerts were performed thereduring the year. The Pantomime "Babes inthe Wood" was performed by the childrenon December 6th and 8th.

Mr. D. Byard, was appointed to theC.B.S., Carrick-on-Suir teaching staff.Miss Theodara Fergus took up teachingposition at Alton Castle, Staffordshire,England. Mr. Joseph Fitzgerald, TheGreen, was appointed on the AutomobileAssociation Road Service.

VISITORS Many emigrants were home this year

from different parts of the world. Thoseincluded the following; Father JohnO’Flynn O.S.A., St. Monica’s, Rome,Mother Benignus Power, New York,Mother Agnes O’Brien, New York, SisterPaula Carey, New York, Mother Helen

Meehan, London, Mother EvangelistO’Brien, U.S.A., Sister Gabriel Stapleton,Wighton, Humberland, England. BrotherChrysestem Dineen, Patrician BrothersHigh School, Santa Monica, California.

TENNIS CLUB Fethard had a most successful season

from the trophy winning angle. They wonthe Father Power Cup at Cahir for the sec-ond year in succession also won out theirown Gibson Cup at Fethard.

The following were the teams; Mrs. B.Holohan, Misses Mary Goldsbrough, D.Schofield, O. Schofield, Carmel Brett,Marie McCarthy. James McCarthy, DonalO’Sullivan, Richard Willis, Pierce O’Flynn.

Pongo is played every Sunday night topay for new pavilion in the Club.

BADMINTON The Badminton Club has been revived

again and is being very well attended.

SPECIAL REPRINT OF FIRST NEWSLETTER 1959

Fethard group pictured at the Pioneer Rally Croke Park 1959. Front L to R: Paddy Heffernan,Kathy Aylward, Mary Allen, Ann Tobin, Alice Stapleton, Carmel O’Rourke, Mary Tobin, MaureenMockler, Nicky O’Shea, Paddy Whyte. Back L to R: Cookoo Walshe, Lolo Trehy, ?, Sean Butler,

Sean Evans,?,?,?, Tommy Whyte, Jimmy Connolly, Jackie Aylward, Noel Whyte, Billy Kenny,Tommy O’Connell, Eddie Cormack, Dan Davis.

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G.A.A. The Fethard Senior Football team did

well and were unlucky to loose to CahirSlashers in the South Final. TheCoolmoyne Hurling team did very wellin winning the South JuniorChampionship and beat the mid-Champions in the County Semi-final inThurles. The Coolmoyne team beat thefollowing teams on their way to FinalKilsheelan, St. Mary’s Clonmel, Carrick-on-Suir Swans, Newcastle andGortnahoe.

Coolmoyne Team was as follows:Goalkeeper – G. Danagher, JimmyMcCarthy, Jack Wall, Dick Wall, JoeClarke, Tony Newport, Eamon Butler,Sean Walsh, Pat Woodlock, LiamConnolly, Gus Neville, Seamus Hackett,Sean Clarke, Cly Mullins. SUBS;Michael O’Brien, Tony Woodlock,Michael Flanagan, Jimmy Treacy, SeanGunn, Pat Leahy.

Fethard footballers have beaten

Mullinahone and Kilsheelan selections inthe Tipperary Mans Cup and are now inthe final of this competition.

The members of the team in theSouth Final were: Tony Newport, BillMeaney, Liam Condon, JimmyMcCarthy, Sean Connolly, LiamConnolly, Pat Woodlock, Lea English,Cly Mullins, Sean Moloney, Gus Neville,Jimmy O’Shea, Sean Gunn, AustinO’Flynn, and Percy O’Flynn. SUBS: JimCooney, Michael Keane, JimmyConnolly.

Gus Danagher is hitting the highspots in Dublin Hurling Circles. Hehopes to play with Coolmoyne next year.He is at present playing with U.C.D.

Liam Connolly was the first FethardHurler to win an All Ireland SeniorHurling Medal with the County. He alsowon a Hurling League Medal and playedin New York in the St. Brendan CupMatch. During his visit in New York hemet many Fethard people.


Coolmoyne Junior Hurling team taken in Clonmel in 1959 before playing Newcastle. Front L to R:Michael Coady, Joe Danagher, Sean Clarke, Seamus Hackett, Liam Connolly, Eamon Butler, Joe Clarke,Cly Mullins, Gus Neville, Pat Woodlock. Back L to R: Nicky O'Shea, Patsy Dickson, Michael Flanagan,Pat Leahy, Billy Morrissey, Mickey O'Brien, Mickey Fitzgerald, Jack Wall, Tony Newport, Jimmy Treacy,

Tony Woodlock, Jimmy McCarthy, Dick Wall and Sean Walsh.

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DEATHS

During the past year the following werecalled to their eternal reward:

James Hanrahan (Sr.) Kerry StreetPatrick O’Flynn, Burke St.William Finn, Burke StreetMiss Freda Danagher, Kilnockin Rd.,Richard Allen, Barrack St.Simon Cantwell, Market Hill.Thomas Hackett, CoolmoyneThomas Slattery, St. Patrick’s Place,Mrs. E. Stapleton, Cashel Rd.Patrick McDonnell, Main Street.Sean Morrissey, Main Street,Mrs. Nora Gough, The Valley.Mr. Patrick O’Brien, The ValleyPatrick Houlihan, Barrack Street,Mrs. M. Anglim CurraghscarteenWilliam Nagle, Crampscastle.

MARRIAGESMr. Lawrence Trehy, Annsgift and

Maura Evans, Congress TerraceMr. E. O’Mahony, Cashel and Laura

Ward, Kerry St.,Mr. J. Croke, Ballingarry and Noreen

McDonnell, Main St.Mr. D. Butler, Thurles and Kitty

Hayes, Rathcoole,Mr. J. Hayes, Rathcoole and Marg.

McCarthy, Burke St.Mr. D. Noonan, Drangan and Alice

Shine Crampscastle.Mr. J. Murphy, Cashel Rd. and

Doreen Leahy Kilnockin Rd.Mr. J. McMahon, Tipperary and

Noreen Ward, Kerry St.,Mr. M. Halley, New Inn and Miss C.

Slattery, KilnockinMr. D. Walshe, St. Patrick’s Place

and Miss P. Hayde, Ballinure.

DAVERN'S HOTELDavern’s Hotel which was unoccu-

pied for many years has been purchasedby Mr. John O’Shea, Main Street,Fethard. The premises are now beingrenovated.

MUINTIR NA TIREThe following are the Officers for

current year:- President – Very Rev. J. J.Canon Ryan, Chairman – Rev. FatherKennedy C.C., Vice Chairman – Rev.Father Cooke, C.C., Secretary – Mrs.O’Brien, Main St., Treasurer – Mrs.O’Byrne, Main St.,

The Guild started a club for men andboys in the lower section of the TirryClub. The Club was visited by many ofour emigrants who were home on holi-days last Christmas.

Mrs. O’Brien and Mrs. P. J. Coffeyare members of the County federation ofMuintir Na Tire.

PATRICIANSThe Patricians were started last April

and monthly meetings have been heldsince. Different subjects were discussedand a paper was read each night by a layperson. Subjects varied from "Problemsof Teenagers", "Films", "Why Marry in achurch" etc. The participation was verygood. This is an excellent means of get-ting people to talk about their religion andsee the Catholic point of view. There arepoints left unanswered by those present.

PIONEERSThe Pioneers from Fethard and

Killusty were well represented at theJubilee celebrations in Croke Park inJune.


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Anglim, James (Jimmy), Farranaleen (London)

Burke, Bill, Grove and England (England)

Carroll, Patrick 'Patie', Miltown (Powerstown)

Cashman, Sarah, Fr. Tirry Park (St. Patrick's Clonmel)

Clarke, Joe, Crampscastle (Calvary)

Coffey, Eileen (nee Buggy), Main St. & Dublin

(Peppardstown)

Condon, Sharon, Slievenamon Close & Clerihan (Clerihan)

Conway, Johnny, Coleman Cross (Old Ballyclerihan)

Corbett, Fergal, Roebucksland (Calvary)

Croke, Mai, Main Street (Calvary)

Dahill, Paddy, The Valley (Calvary)

Doran, Patrick, Rathkenny (Cloneen)

Fahy, Bridie, Leixlip, Tullamaine (Leixlip)

Fitzgerald, Mary, Crampscastle (Moyglass)

Fitzpatrick, Elizabeth (Bogue), Rocklow Road (England)

Fitzsimons OSA, Fr. Joseph, Athenry & Fethard (London)

Gorey, Dick, Main Street (Calvary)

Hayes, Seamus, Main St. & London, (Calvary)

Hartigan, John, Grawn (England)

Healy, Gobnait, Monroe and Bunclody (Bunclody)

Horan, Michael, Jossestown, (Powerstown)

Kenny, Monica (nee Kenrick), Greenville (Calvary)

Kenrick, Joe, Fethard and Clonmel (London)

Long, John, Killerk and Fr. Tirry Park (Calvary)

Looby, Denis, Ballybough (Holy Trinity Fethard)

Maher, Gus, Coolenure (Moyglass)

McCarthy, Dick, Burke Street (Calvary)

McCarthy, Mary, Main Street, Fethard (Holy Trinity)

McCormack, Mick 'Toby Boy', The Green (Calvary)

Meagher, Bridie (nee Phelan) Crampscastle (Birmingham)

Millet, Jim, St. Johnstown (Killusty)

Mullins, Annie 'Dot', Fr. Tirry Park (Calvary)

Murray, Pat, Killusty (Killusty)

O'Connell, Frank, Burke Street (Calvary)

O'Donnell, Bridget, Kilnockin (Calvary)

O'Donnell, John 'Cutsie', Slanestown (Calvary)

O'Donnell, Margaret, Killusty (Lisronagh)

O'Gorman, Michael, Saucestown (London)

O’Keeffe, Mai (nee O’Flynn), Mallow & Main St. (Mallow)

O'Meara, Rita, Knockbrett, (Moyglass)

O'Rourke, Noreen (District Nurse) Essex (England)

O'Shea, Lizzie, Coolmoyne (Calvary)

O'Shea, William, Coolmoyne (Calvary)

O'Sullivan, Donal, (Chemist) Main Street (Calvary)

Ryan, Biddie (nee Morrissey), Fr. Tirry Park (Calvary)

Ryan, Dick, Coolmoyne (Calvary)

Sharpe, Bill, St. Patrick's Place (Calvary)

Shine, Mark, Congress Terrace (Calvary)

Tobin, Kitty, Grove and Fr. Tirry Park (Killusty)

Treacy, Jimmy, Barrettstown Cross (Calvary)

Wade, Frank, Cloran, Killusty (Killusty)

Walsh, Jimmy, The Green and England (England)

Watts, Tess (nee Cummins), St. Patrick’s Place (England)

Deaths in the parishThe following is a list of deaths that occurred in the parish during the year. We

have also included many of the deaths (from information supplied) thatoccurred away from Fethard. We have also included, in brackets, the place of funeralservice if known. A list of Fethard deaths over the past ten years can be viewed on theinternet at: www.fethard.com/people/deaths.html

Clergy in the parishThe following clergy are serving

or living in the Parish of Fethardand Killusty: Canon James Power P.P.,Rocklow Road, Fethard; Fr. Sean RyanC.C., Cashel Road, Fethard; Fr. Ben

O’Brien, Prior OSA, Augustinian Abbey,Fethard; Fr. Michael Twomey OSA,Augustinian Abbey; Fr. John MeagherOSA, Augustinian Abbey; and Fr. JosephHourihane OSA, Augustinian Abbey.

13


Our dear departed ‘98 from available photographs

Mary Fitzgerald Bill Sharpe Mon Kenny Frank O’Connell Bridget O’Donnell

Donal O’Sullivan Denis Looby Dick McCarthy Lizzy O’Shea Mark Shine

Biddy Ryan Fergal Corbett Dick Ryan Mick ‘Toby’McCormack ‘Dot’ Mullins

Gus Maher Kitty Tobin Seamus Hayes

Mary McCarthy Paddy Dahill Gobnait Healy John ‘Cutsie’ O’Donnell Dick Gorey

Joe Clarke and Johnny Conway

14


Our club is still going strong withnew members joining us each

month. This year we enjoyed our cruiseon the ‘Galley’ from Waterford toInistioge, followed by evening meal atthe Carraig Hotel. Tuesday is our clubnight and we are always eager to seenew faces. Our Annual Christmas Party

was held in the ballroom on 13thDecember. All senior Citizens welcome.Sadly we have lost some members dur-ing the year R.I.P. We would like towish our families and friends a HolyChristmas and a Happy New Year.Thanks to all who in any way helped tomake our club a success.

Weddings in the parishDermot O’Donnell, Grangebeg, to Pamela Morrissey, Cashel Road, Fethard.

Michael Spillane, Tullamaine, to Sandra Wade, Killusty.Michael Houlihan, Carrick-on-Suir, to Mary McGarry, Woodvale Walk

Aidan Morrissey, Kilkenny, to Claire O’Brien, Grangebeg.Eamonn Phelan, Kilkenny, to Mary Jane Carroll, Burke Street.

Paschal Hickey, Moorestown, to Mary Burke, Main Street.Anthony Wall, Clonmel, to Sophie O’Connor, Knockelly.

Michael O’Mahoney, Clonmel, to Mary Ryan, Tullamaine.Paula Delany, Parson’s Hill, to Martin Brunt, Rutland, England.

Weddings outside the parishPatrick Morrissey, St. Patrick’s Place, to Helena McGrath, Carrick Beg.Mark Lonergan, The Square, to Ann-Marie Ogrodowski, San Francisco.

Denise Maher, Abbey Street, to John Sheehan, Westmeath.Michael Phelan, Coolmore and Tina O’Donovan, Clonmel.

Patrick Croke, St. Patrick’s Place, to Joan Carry, Drogheda.Joseph Keane, St. Patrick’s Place, to Kathryn Pendlebury, Manchester.

Marriages

Senior Citizens Club

Jack Maher visiting his two sisters in London. L to R: Jimmy and Joan Walsh, Catherine and Jack Maher.

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Coleman National School Excursion to Tramore 1955From Back: Tony Woodlock, Michael Breen, John Looby, David Burke, Maureen Moclair, Pauline Curran,

John O’Dwyer, Thomas Whelan, Francis Cronin, Peter O’Connell, Mary O’Dwyer, Rena Moclair, MargaretGriffin, Tom Griffin, John Griffin, Billy O’Flynn, John Whelan, Tony Curran, Noreen O’Halloran, MargaretDobbyn, Jimmy Spillane, Austin Woodlock, John O’Dwyer, Jack Moclair, Patricia Spillane, Marie Lee, JoeO’Connell, Ann Moclair, Eithne O’Donnell, Micky Burke, Tom Hanrahan, Connie O’Connell, Billy Whelan,Joe Spillane, Alice Whelan, Ann Whelan, Michael O’Dwyer, Michael Woodlock, Tom Lee, Claire Moclair,Michael Conway, Amy Spillane, Joanne O’Dwyer, Mary O’Halloran, Danny Curran and Richard Looby.

Golf Outing toDungarvan 1998

Members of The WellGolf Society pho-

tographed on one oftheir regular golf out-

ings.The Well Bar, formerly

run by SeamusCummins in Burke

Street, is now ownedby Mick Smyth. The

bar’s ‘golf society’ hasa large membership

and organises regularoutings to courses

around the country.

Photographs — past and present

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Set between two palms aboutthree-quarters of a mile out the

Cashel Road from the town of Fethard, amemorial cross stands forlorn anduninviting. You would indeed beexcused if when travelling that road itfailed to catch your attention. On thebend of the roadand more or lessback from theboundary fence itis surrounded by awhite tubularfence in need ofpainting. It clearlybrings into focusthe grief and pro-found sadness thatlinks young menwith the ultimatesacrifices made byquite a numberduring the War ofIndependence. Aquick scan at thebase of the crosswill, in black writ-ing, tell youbriefly who thisman was. It says:“Erected to Vol.Thomas Lee, BCoy. B.N.T., N3Tipp Brig. Who was shot by CrownForces near this spot March 4th 1921,aged 20 years R.I.P. This, I think youwill agree, is a very brief history of aman’s life and should not be glancedover in a facile manner. The observerwould have to ask himself under whatcircumstance did this young manyield up his spirit at the corner of aBrodeen meadow.

There are very few people alive todaywho can reveal what happened on thatMarch morning, but I can quite clearlyremember my own mother speak of Leebeing brought into town on the day of theshooting. As my family lived across thestreet from where he was employed she

was quite used tosee him comingand going abouthis work. Shewas, however,stunned that daywhen a horse anddray passed bythe door carryingLee, whose bodywas at full stretchlying face down-ward and on hisstomach. He waswearing ridingbreeches andbrown boots —attire not uncom-mon to theVolunteers — andhis right leg roseand fell every fewseconds as if ingreat pain. Agroup of “Blackand Tans” plus

R.I.C. men circled the dray. This groupwas led out by the local R.I.C. Sergeantwhose name was Clancy. The horse anddray had been commandeered earlier bythe R.I.C. Later that day he was trans-ferred to Tipperary Town Military Hospitalbut it is thought that he died on the way.

In “Recollections of the Fight for IrishFreedom - 3rd (South) Tipperary Brigade”by Vice O/C Sean Fitzpatrick Adjt. Lee’s

Thomas Lee remembered Tom McCormack

Thomas Lee (Born 3 November 1900 - Died 5 March 1921)

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death is mentioned in just one line in thememoriam list: Thomas Lee - Fethard,killed by Crown Forces – NR. Fethard(Clerihan).

At this point several questions can beasked about Thomas Lee such as, howlong had he served with the Volunteers?How active was he? Was he ranked? Allthese questions are answered in a state-ment by Captain Paddy Ryan, B. Coy 1stBattn. 3rd Brig., a close friend of Lee. Inthis statement Captain Ryan relates his rec-ollections of that period and indeed men-tions Lee on a number of occasions at meet-ings and when called for active service.

Opening his statement, Paddy Ryanrecalls how a chosen few met atDowney’s Barn, Crampscastle, Fethardin the early summer of 1917, the ideabeing to form a company of volunteers inFethard and district. The main speaker atthe meeting was Commandant PaddyHogan, 2nd Battalion, and at that meet-ing he (Paddy Ryan) was appointedCaptain of the Company, James Keatingof Brookhill was elected 1st Lieutenant,James Tierney of Fethard was electedCompany Adjutant and Tommy Lee waselected Company Quartermaster.

Captain Ryan goes on to tell about anincident which happened while the ‘IrishParty’ supporters were celebrating onThe Square, Fethard, on the night of thedeclaration of the poll in the famousWaterford by-election. The Volunteersgot involved in a fracas and two nightslater were taken into custody. They weresentenced to three month’s imprisonmenteach and taken to Waterford jail. InWaterford the volunteers joined otherpolitical prisoners on a hunger strike insupport of a demand to be treated aspolitical prisoners. After five days onhunger strike they were transferred underR.I.C. escort to Belfast prison to com-

plete their sentence. While away, Paddygave great praise to Tommy Lee and aman named Jerry Whelan for keeping theCompany together.

Further on in his recollections Paddymentions an incident near Downey’sCross at which he, Tommy Lee and BillQuirke disarmed four R.I.C. men:

“It was, I think, shortly after myreturn to Fethard following this trip toLiverpool that an incident occurred bywhich we secured four revolvers for thecompany and a motor car for the battal-ion headquarters. Our company wasthen “B” Company of the 1st. Battalion,3rd. Tipperary Brigade, and JeromeDavin of Rathsallagh was the BattalionCommandant.

The late Senator William Quirke wasthen a member of my company. In ahotel in Fethard he overheard fourstrange R.I.C. men talking. They had amotor car outside and Quirke learnedfrom their conversation that they weregoing to Mullinahone. He came to me atonce and suggested that we go toDowney’s Cross and hold them up there.

I was slow to consent as I thought weshould consult the BattalionCommandant first. Quirke was impetu-ous and in his brisk manner said, “Comeon, we will do it”. So, having sent wordto Tommy Lee to come to Downey’s Crossas soon as possible, I went with him. Wewere both armed with revolvers.Downey’s Cross was ideally situated forthe job as there was a double sharp turnon the road and the car would naturallyhave to slow up there.

We had not long to wait for thearrival of the police. From behind twotrees we called on them to halt and to putup their hands. To give them the impres-sion that there was a large party of menpresent Quirke shouted in a loud voice,

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“Right half company, present arms”.The policemen made no attempt to resistbut meekly put up their hands. At thispoint Tommy Lee arrived on the scene.On searching the policemen we got fourmore revolvers, all of small calibre. Wethen marched the four R.I.C. across somefields and put them in a cowhouse andfastened the door by a bolt on the out-side. Leaving Tommy Lee to remain onguard on them, Quirke and I drove thecar to Rathsallagh House – the home ofthe Battalion Commandant – and left itthere. Later that night Tommy Lee silent-ly withdrew the bolt from the door of thecowhouse and came back to Fethard.Later still the four policemen returned tothe town, and the military then came outin force and searched for the motor carbut without success.”

In October 1920 both Ryan and Leeaccompanied Tommy Donovan by cyclefrom Silverfort to Killenaule on their ill-fated trip to execute the well-known andnotorious Lieutenant in charge of theBritish forces. This event ended in asevere set-back with the death ofCommandant Donovan, shot from closerange after a brief gun battle. TommyLee escaped without injury but PaddyRyan received a bad leg wound whichput him out of active service for quite anumber of months. His return, however,brings the story full circle to that fatefulday when he and Lee spent the previousevening on the run.

The following is from the statementmade by Captain Ryan:

“One night in March 1921 TommyLee, who I have frequently referred tobefore, and I slept in the haybarn ofCoffey’s House near Fethard. About11am next morning we went into thekitchen of the farmhouse for a meal.While we were there the house was sur-

rounded by R.I.C. men and Black andTans.

The first intimation we had of theirpresence was when we saw some of thempass by the kitchen window. Lee wasarmed with a Lee Enfield rifle and aWebley revolver and I had two WebleyRevolvers. Lee fired through the win-dows at the Police who then sought coverand fired back through the windows. Anemployee of the household, a Miss NellieWalsh, directed us to a large window atthe back and after firing a few shots atthe police who were still under cover atthe front, we left the house by this win-dow. At the back of the house we saw oneR.I.C. man who appeared to be busyrighting his rifle which had jammed. Wereached a field between the Rosegreenand Cashel Roads and here we cameunder fire from the police at the farm-house. I could see that they were concen-trating their fire on a gap in the field. Iheaded towards the Rosegreen Road andreached it in safety.

For some reason known only to him-self Tommy Lee went towards the CashelRoad and as he crossed a field he wasshot dead by the fire of the police. I wenton to the Battalion Commandants houseat Rathsallagh near Rosegreen andreported to him what had happened, ofcourse when I got to Rathsallagh I hadno idea that Lee had been shot, that newsarrived later that afternoon”.

There is, however, one man still haleand hearty who remembers the sad hap-penings of that day. Jack Flynn of LowerMain Street, a young boy at the time, canrecall with clarity what occurred thatspring morning. “After crossing the roadnear Danaghers, Tommy ran up besidethe road. He was unable to get out at thecorner of the field because enamel signshad been placed in the ditch to prevent

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animals coming out on the road. Tommythen moved out into the field and went tocross through a hole that had been madeby dogs. The ‘Tan’ however got on to theditch near Danaghers and shot him twicein the back. That particular day I waswith his brother Christy and we went upto the Military Barracks to see him.People were going in and out there allthat evening. Later, my father, NedLonergan and myself went to the spotwhere it happened, close to where welived in Glenagaddy. There was notmuch to see but drops of fresh blood thatremained on the damp grass.” Jack wasalso of the opinion that he died on theroad to Cashel Hospital.

The Nationalist newspaper gave abrief account of the affair under the head-lines: ‘Fethard Shooting - Death of WoundedMan’. “Later accounts of the shooting of theyoung man Lee, who was dangerouslywounded at Brodeen near Fethard RailwayStation on Friday, state he was accompaniedby another young man who, it is alleged, isalso on the run. They were called on to halt

but did not do so and were fired on.It also stated that Lee was wounded in the

hip by one of the first shots from the volley,but continued running towards Ballintemplewhere he received another wound in the backand collapsed. The other young man, it isstated, got away uninjured.

A man named Murray was passing alongthe Cashel Road with a common horse andcart, this was commandeered and Lee wasbrought to Fethard Military Barracks. Dr.Stokes was quick in attendance but despite hisgreatest efforts no hope was entertained of hisrecovery from the start.

The Very Rev P.C. Ryan anointed himas he was being conveyed from the scene ofthe shooting and was in constant atten-dance on the dying boy who was 21 years ofage and one of a large and respectable fam-ily. The end came this Saturday Morning at2.30am. Much sympathy is felt for hisbereaved parents and relatives. A militaryinquiry will be held.”

The official report from Dublin(issued Dublin Saturday) came under theheading: ‘A Fugitive from Justice’ – “At

Erection of Thomas Lee Memorial at Cashel Road 1959Back Lto R: Paddy Fitzgerald, Lar Donovan, Joe Coffey, Jack Cummins, Frank Burke, Jimmy O’Flynn,Joe Lee, Christy Lee, Gerry Lee, Johnny Pollard, Ned Donovan, Paddy O’Keeffe, John Smith, EddieLawless, Jim Boy Danagher. Centre: John Keating, Billy O’Flynn, Davy Ahessy, Paddy Ryan, Larry

Lee and Tim Tierney. Front L to R: Jack Ahessy M.C.C., Mick Coen and Mick Fleming.

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noon yesterday Thomas Lee, for sometime a fugitive from justice, was shot bypolice in Brodeen, Cashel district, whenattempting to evade arrest. His wound isnot serious. He is at present in FethardMilitary Hospital. A rifle, revolver andammunition were found on him.”

Again under the heading: ‘FethardShooting’ and referring to the funeral ofThomas Lee, The Nationalist printed thefollowing report of the event in its issuedated Wednesday 9th March 1921.

“The funeral of Mr Thomas Lee, theyoung man who met his death nearFethard under such tragic circum-stances, took place on Tuesday and wasa remarkable demonstration of publicsympathy. The remains were conveyedby motor to Cashel on Tuesday fromTipperary (where a military inquiry washeld) and thence by hearse to Fethard.

All Shops and Banks were closed andblinds drawn on Tuesday morning. Aguard of honour of volunteers watchedby the coffin as it lay in the church. Thecoffin was covered by the tricolour.Solemn Office and High Mass wasoffered up for the repose of his soul at10’o’clock Tuesday. The officiating cler-gy were: Very Rev, P.C. Ryan P.P., V.F.;Very Rev. Fr. Crowe, Prior, OSA; Rev. J.Russell C.C.; Rev. R.W. Noonan C.C.;Rev. Fr. Brady OSA; Rev. Fr. WalsheOSA.

During the evening of Monday andall Tuesday morning thousands viewedthe remains in the church. The coffin hada glass panel through which the deadboy’s face and shoulders could be seen.There was a crowded attendance at theFuneral. Interment took place atClerihan. The Volunteers and membersof the Cumann na mBan wore mourningbadges.”

Tommy’s death certificate states the

following: Died on 5th March 1921,Fethard Military Hospital. Aged 20years. Occupation: grocer’s assistant.Cause of Death: shock and haemorrhagedue to bullet wound received on March4th 1921, died about 24 hours later.Certificate issued by Court of Inquiryheld at Tipperary Barrack, Co Tipperaryon April 6th 1921.

There are, of course, many whowould say that this episode was indeed asheer waste of a young life, others wouldsay he was a hero. A young man who hadgiven his blood for his own people, afterother Irish men had fought for the free-dom of other nations. Why shouldn’tLee be entitled to fight for Ireland andthe Revolution?

I stand to be corrected but wasn’t itthe greatest revolutionary who said, “Nogreater love hath any man than to laydown his life for his friends”. One maysay that there is no parallel betweenChrist’s words and what happened toTommy Lee but they had at least threethings in common. They were bothyoung men, they were both against thesystem that existed and they both diedviolently.

For those of us who are alive todayand awaiting a final and peaceful solu-tion to the six county problems, perhapswe can say that Tommy Lee’s sacrificewas not in vain. People cannot be deniedfreedom and justice on this Island. Ithink this is the lesson which shouldcome from his death.

We should remember him, after all hewas one of us – a Fethard man. So thenext time you walk, cycle or drive on theCashel Road, if you happen to catch aglimpse of the aforementioned half-hid-den memorial, put yourself in TommyLee’s brown boots and try and imaginehis consternation as, with young heart

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pounding, he raced for his life in a des-perate attempt to avoid the ‘Black andTan’ bullet.

The Co. Meath war poet, FrancisLedwidge, on the death by execution of hisgreat friend Tipperary man ThomasMcDonagh, wrote what is now accepted ashis greatest work — his poem aptly called,‘A lament’ or ‘Thomas McDonagh’. I’mpretty sure McDonagh would not mindsharing it with Tommy Lee.

He shall not hear the bittern cryIn the wild sky, where he is lainNor voices of the sweeter birdsAbove the waiting of the rain.

Nor shall he know when loud March blowsThro’ slanting snows her fanfare shrill

Lowing to flame the golden cupOf many an upset daffodil.

But when the dark bow leaves the moorAnd pastures poor with greedy weedsPerhaps he’ll hear her low at mornLifting her horn in pleasant meads.

Kilknockin snaps from the 1940’ssupplied by Monica Wynne (nee O’Dwyer), Clonmel.

Clockwise from top (1): Nora (Dwyer) Hogan and daughter Mary. (2): L to R: Monica and Rita Dwyer,Hannie and Monica Dwyer, Bridie Leahy. Child in pram Pat Leahy, Doreen (RIP) and Thomas Leahy. (3):

Monica Dwyer (with in-fashion headscarf) and Phill Danagher. (4): Grandfather Johnny Dwyer who workedas gardener in the Presentation Convent and collected money offerings at Parish gate during Sunday Mass.

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The beginning of the Easter termin the Nano Nagle Primary

School, Fethard, saw the dawning of anew ‘Artist in Residence’ project intro-duced by the National Arts Council andheaded by local artist, Pat Looby.

In response to being approached by amember of staff at the Primary School,Pat decided to begin this ten week pro-gramme which aimed at embodying thechildren’s creativity through their task.Pat’s initial idea to develop the children’splayground area stemmed around theconcept, “to expand the children’s visualarena and claim it as their own.”

Pat had sent her proposal to theNational Arts Council in October and byEaster had received a positive response.The project started at the beginning ofthe Easter term. The first three weeks ofthe project were spent gathering and

learning about materials and methods,and focused initially on classroom activ-ity and just talking to the children. Basicgame structures were introduced andwith Pat’s plans unveiled the childrenbegan collecting materials to work with.These included broken toys, buttons andtins.

Much excitement had broken outamong the school’s one hundred andsixty pupils, all of whom were to play aninvaluable role in the success of the pro-ject. Each child had a designated role.Among the younger classes, junior andsenior infants, ideas were painted anddisplayed within the school while theolder children helped assist with the out-door preparations.

Eventually ideas were completed andafter much discussion, the practical workbegan. Some traffic cones were

Artist in Residence by Denise Farrell

Artist in residence Pat Looby working with Nano Nagle Primary School pupils

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acquired, so too was rubberised roadmarking paint, to establish game plans onthe playground while glue and siliconwould be used for assembling the brokentoys and other materials together. Pathad in the meantime, also acquired mate-rials from a factory in Waterford whichmanufacture pieces for M.B. games.

After a lot of imaginative fun and alot of hard work, the grand opening ofthe project took place on Thursday, 18thJune. This was attended by both proudparents and other interested members ofthe community. On completion muchwas achieved. Through the drawings,paintings and the sculptural inventions inthe playground, the children havelearned much in a fun way through themedium of art. The focus on play andgames gave the children a relevant initia-tive to work at this project and alsoinvolved them in the assemblage.

Both the children and Pat seemedextremely pleased on the completion ofthe project. For the children it was a funproject which at the end, left them with awhole new world in their school play-ground, and it gave Pat an insight into theimaginations of children. While talking to

me she also commented on the opportuni-ty that this project gave her, as both anartist and teacher, to delve into the mindsand imaginations of children. For mostadults any route into a child’s thoughts isprecious and it is often through the medi-um of art that this can be achieved.

Pat Looby is a Graduate of theCrawford College of Art and Design inCork where she lived for a number ofyears. She now lives in Fethard whereshe teaches. As an artist, her success hasbeen demonstrated by her many exhibi-tions, the latest of which took place in1995 in conjunction with the CrawfordMunicipal Gallery.

Every year several schemes through-out the country are partly funded by theNational Arts Council. These schemeshave come to play an important role indeveloping the artistic endeavours ofpeople, both young and old, while alsoproviding the community with an invalu-able service. Well done all.

This article was written by Denise Farrell,Ballyclerihan, while employed under the

Fethard Historical Society’s Summer Student Scheme.

Nano Nagle Primary SchoolStaff members: Sr. Maureen

Power, Principal (3rd and 4thclass), Mrs. Patricia Treacy Vice-Principal (senior infants), Sr. MaryMcNamara (5th and 6th class), Ms.Maureen Maher (2nd class), Ms.Margaret Gleeson (1st class), Ms. RitaKenny (junior infants), Ms MaryHanrahan (remedial), Ms. Ann Ryan(resource teacher).

This year we are delighted toannounce the arrival of a new staff mem-ber, Ms. Ann Ryan, Clonmel. Ms Ryan is

our resource teacher and she works withthose children who have special needsand/or specific learning difficulties. Herappointment is of major benefit in ourendeavours to aid these children who aremost in need of extra help and support.

As usual, our school year was event-ful, challenging and, above all, we hope,enjoyable for both pupils and staff. Theschool year began with our annual schoolMass in November – delayed ‘til then inorder that our junior infants will be set-tled enough to participate. This was pre-

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ceded by our annual cake sale which wasa major success thanks to the wonderfulsupport of parents and our Board ofManagement. Throughout the year, ourParents Association proved most sup-portive of all our ventures and all appealsfor assistance ranging from monetary tomanual were met with a most generousresponse. Our thanks, to all involved.

Christmas was celebrated in the AbymillTheatre with two most engaging plays fromthe junior classes, ably assisted by the ‘biggirls’ (3rd-6th Classes) who provided chorus,

lights, sound and lots of help backstage andthroughout rehearsals.

The concert programme comprised:‘Sleepy Santa’ starring junior infants,senior infants, 3rd and 4th classes. ‘TheMagic Christmas Tree’ starring seniorinfants, 1st and 2nd classes. ‘ChristmasCarols’ 5th and 6th classes accompaniedby Una Prendergast, Miriam Carroll andElaine Casey on keyboard.

A major innovation this year is ourcomputer room which now boasts thegrand total of ten computers, one sponsored by

Starting school in Junior Infants class at Nano Nagle Primary School Fethard are Back L to R: Ms. RitaKenny (teacher); Faye Manton, Main Street; Dean Sharpe, Woodvale Walk; Eugene Walsh, The Green;

Mary Anne Fogarty, Garrinch; Tony Myler, St. Patrick’s Place; Simon Standbridge, Saucestown;Michael Smyth, Burke Street. Third Row: Ronan Fitzgerald, Monroe; Mary Jane Kearney, The Green;

Jamie Walsh, St. Patrick’s Place; Ger Maher, Kilnockin; Jane Holohan, Grangeduff; Louis Rice,Everardsgrange; Zoë McManus, The Valley. Second Row: Ciarán O'Meara, Woodvale Walk; Claire

Morrissey, Slievenamon Close; Darren Moloney, Kerry Street; Amy Lyons, Woodvale Walk; Ted Barrett,The Green; Louise O'Donnell, Slanestown; Brian Delahunty, Castlehiggins. Front Row L to R: Rachel

Prout, Derryluskin; Mary Ellen O'Reilly, Barrack Street; Gareth Lawrence, Woodvale Walk; OrlaLawrence, Woodvale Walk; Deirdre Dwyer, Ballygambon; Jenny Pyke, Woodvale Walk; and GavinLonergan, Woodvale Walk. Missing from photograph are: Amanda Ryan, Slievenamon Close; Noel

O’Brien, Redcity; Shauna Brett, Congress Terrace; Andrew Maher, Woodvale Walk.

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Telecom, one from Dept. of Education andScience, two donated by Seagate followingtheir closure in Clonmel, and the other six pur-chased over the last few years thanks to ourfundraising activities. All classes aretimetabled for computer training and we areconfident that our pupils will indeed becomputer literate for the millennium.

The Parents Association once againorganised the June ‘Fun Sports Day’ whichis now such a high point on our school cal-endar. Inclement weather merely proved aminor hiccup and with all activities rerout-ed indoors the fun proceeded unimpeded. Agreat time was had by all!

This year our school tour took us toDublin Zoo, Dublinia (a re-enactment ofMedieval, Dublin) and BlanchardstownShopping Centre for the ubiquitous shop-ping without which no day out, it seems,is complete!

The highlight of the year for our school

was undoubtedly the Artist-in-Residenceproject sponsored by the Arts Council andfunded by our ever-present ParentsAssociation. Local artist Pat Loobyworked with all the classes in the schoolfor the final school term, and her presencewas inspirational for both pupils andteachers. A resounding ‘thank you’ to Patfor affording us all the chance to partakein such a wonderful creative experience.

Throughout the year our pupils tookpart in many competitions and these areour prizewinners: Thurles Co. LibraryBook Festival: Sarah Hayes, DaveGorey, Nicola Gleeson, Owen Healy, andDonna Burke. Clonmel Show: AimeeSmyth, Kelly Coady, Aisling Dwyer,Philip Doyle and Charlene Burke.Fethard Chrysanthemum Show: TracyCody, Mary Gorey, Sarah Hayes andNiamh Cannon. Art Competition spon-sored by Kenny’s Centra, Fethard: 6th

Nano Nagle sixth class 1998. Back L to R: Sr. Mary (teacher), Helen Frewen, Rosanne Meaney, LucyO’Hara, Susie Harvey, Emma O’Connell, Sarah Costello. Middle Row L to R: Tracey Lawrence, DanielleLawrence, Mary Gorey, Ruth Corcoran, Linda Kenny, Susan Sayers, Stacey Grace. Front L to R: Evelyn

Fogarty, Amy Quigley, Vicky Dorney, Kathleen Cawley, Tracey Coady, Siobhán Prout, and Melissa Rochford.

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Class: Helen Frewen, Sarah Costello andDanielle Lawrence. 5th Class: Aoife Nagle,Kate Hanrahan and Gillian Breen. 4thClass: Donna Ryan, Samantha O’Brien andDenise McGrath. 3rd Class: SinéadDelahunty, Jenny Anglim and DonnaBurke. 2nd Class: Charlene Burke, LisaAnglim and Aisling Breen. 1st Class:Lorraine Cannon, Lesley O’Meara andShauna Stapleton. Senior Infants: DarrenThompson, Jane Kenny and Orlaith Delany.

Our school year has now come full

circle as we break for Halloween havingjust held a most successful October cakesale, which raised £801.96 for schoolfunds. We would like to finish by onceagain thanking everyone who helps us inour various undertakings – the ParentsAssociation, the Board of Management,our various generous sponsors and thewider community. To all our pupils pastand present, we wish a very happy andholy Christmas ’98 and for 1999 – aninteresting year ahead.

A mother’s memories of Fethard

The five of us have Fethardimprinted on our hearts — my

brothers, sisters, and I grew up listeningto stories of our mother’s happy yearsthere. Our mother, Jo Byrne, was born inFethard in 1885. She often describedthose now distant days — attending class-es in the convent, singing in theAugustinian Abbey, playing camogie,bicycling to Cashel, visiting Clonmel,teaching piano, and joining the Cumannna nBann. We also heard about the OldIRA, the Barracks, the Black and Tans,and curfew — fascinating history lessons.

Our mother described The Green,Burke Street, Main Street, the shops, andFRIENDS. We know from her storiesthat friendship was the keystone — therock of Fethard. Her ‘many Fethardfriends’ corresponded with her through-out our mother’s life. Her best friendwas Katie (O’Shea) O’Meara, who visit-ed us one summer. We heard about somany other friends, and met some ofthem — John and Ned O’Shea, GusO’Flynn, Ned Cummins, MadgeKenrick, Ciss O’Donnell, Mae Goode,the Grady’s, the McCarthy’s, Tom Healy,Paddy Barrett and many more.

In 1924, fate brought Jo Byrne tovisit an uncle in Elizabeth, New Jersey,for a ‘short vacation’. There she met aKerryman, an Elizabeth police officer —a whirlwind courtship and her life wasforever changed. She did live happily-ever-after with our father, but until shedied in 1980, she spoke lovingly ofFethard. Some of our family, includingtwo of the many grandchildren, visitedFethard in 1984 and 1986. We attendedmass in the Abbey, walked around thetown, and enjoyed a delightful visit withJo (Barrett) O’Connor. It was a wonder-ful, sentimental journey.

by Peg Healy

Ned Cummins and Paddy Barrett at home on holidays in the 1950’s

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It is a close, cloudy evening in Juneand the ancient town of Fethard is

lying in a state of near hibernation.Nothing much stirs along Main Streetjust some pigeons lazily descending fromthe roof of Miss Toppin’s decaying oldhouse and a cloud of flies whirringaround an erratic trail of drying cowdung scuttered unashamedly along thestreet by John Halpin’s cows as theyambled sedately along on their twicedaily journey through the town — a smil-ing John gently coaxing them along. Awhistle blast and the faint rattle of hur-leys carries through the dead evening air— Ballingarry and Killenaule areengaged in a hurling match – cum – fac-tion fight in the Barrack Field. A carapproaches, sitting in the rear like somechauffeur–driven elder statesman, is thethin figure of John Scully, proprietor of ahardware store and licensed premises onMain Street. ‘Toby’ Napier and I staregloomily after the car as it travels alongthe empty street. We are anticipatinganother uneventful evening, the Sixtiesare swinging but Fethard, it seems, is

slowly expiring. ‘Toby’ desperately triesto drag a last lungful of nicotine from thetiny butt of a Will’s Wild Woodbine. Weare propping up the doorjambs of ‘Ma’Brien’s unique chip shop, a kind of havenfor the male teenagers of the town. Itsmain attraction is the ancient Juke-boxthat it boasts. Here we can lounge aroundthe Juke-box in budding Beatle fringes,drainpipes, pointed-toe shoes, smokeWoodbines, boast of girls and imaginaryconquests, dream of escape to Londonand Carnaby Street, listen to the music ofthe Beatles, the Stones and the Kinks,and all the while ‘Moll’ keeps watchbehind the counter, peeling potatoes forchips, and preparing her speciality —greasy crubeens — for the customerswho will come unsteadily through thedoorway after closing time. Right nowthe sound of the Animals blares from theJuke Box with several raucous voicesbawling along. A football table heavesand bucks to the promptings of four play-ers who spin handles, send balls rocket-ing into pockets whilst arguing inces-santly over every score and every move

No particular place to go by John Fogarty

Killing time on Kerry Street Bridge in the 1960’s are L to R: John O’Donovan, Jim Maher, Liam Leahy,Joseph Fogarty, John Fogarty, John Nagle and Eamon Keane.

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is mimicked in a huge mirror whichoverlooks the table. Outside, ‘Toby’flicks the butt away and sighs, “Surewe’ll have the Carnival next week”. BillyTreacy pushes the door open, “Any legaround”? he asks hopefully, looking intothe street. “Leg” hoots ‘Toby’, as thechorus from the Animals blares acrossthe desolate street seeming to echo oursecret thoughts — “We gotto get outathis Place….!!” Having “no particularplace to go” four of us set of for a strolland a few minutes later find ourselvesstanding warily on the downward flightof stairs which lead to the tennis courtsbehind Joe Coffey’s house on BurkeStreet. This is forbidden territory so wepause there, listening, gauging. The softthud of tennis balls on racquet stringscomes drifting up the stairway and agirl’s voice calling “our van, our van”which triggers a shuddering, tearful out-break of laughter that worsens the more

we try to control it. The laughter isbrought to a sharp end by a series ofurgent whistle blasts and an eruption ofangry shouts from the Barrack Fieldwhich can mean only one thing — a row!Fethard Lawn Tennis Club is forgotten aswe sprint away to the Barrack Field. Weare spurred on by the sight of a togged-out figure, blood streaming down hisflushed face, ringing the doorbell at Dr.Stokes’ surgery. Alas, we are too late,both row and match are over. Across thefield comes ‘Ringo’ Napier, a brokenhurley under his oxter. “Ye missed aright row” he crows triumphantly, andproceeds to give an exaggerated accountof fearsome pulling, split heads, brokenfingers, pitch invasions, and threats on thelife of the referee. “Stokes had to stitchsix of them”, he finishes with relish.

Disgusted at having missed suchaction we head back for The Square,pausing to watch a soccer match being

Photographed outside the Ormonde Hotel, Clonmel, in the early 1970’s are Front L to R: AdrianCashin, Gerry Fogarty, Chris (Tobin) Nevin, Eddie Nevin, Kathleen Tobin. Back L to R: Patsy

Morrissey, Billy Treacy, Liam Leahy, Joe Kenny and Pat Sheehan.

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played on the bald, clayey surface of theCanon’s Plot. Tiring of this we continueto the Square where we seat ourselves on‘The Chair’, the surface of which has beenpolished to a high sheen by an endlesssuccession of idle backsides. Here we sitidling away the remainder of this Juneevening; talking, smoking, gawking.There is little enough to gawk at: JohnSayers coming slowly home from anevening’s fishing; the famed ‘ElectricHare’ from Barrack Street striding pur-posefully homeward wheeling her bike; aman in a new shiny ‘home-from-England-suit’ slipping into Lonergan’s Bar. Trafficis rare — two lads from Moyglass on aVespa scooter pulling up at ‘Ma’ Briens; acouple whom we know as ‘Dynamite andCinderella’ roaring by on a large blackmotorbike, ‘Cinderella’ clinging shame-lessly to ‘Dynamite’; a deafening noisefrom Burke Street heralds the approach ofRodge Hannigan in the backfiring beat-upremains of a V.W. Beetle. Then as dark-ness creeps around us Jim Burke fromSpitalfield comes pounding along – mili-tary style – in hobnailed boots. Haltingabruptly he salutes us and at the same time

loudly clicks his heels. “How’s the recep-tion Jimmy?” someone asks innocently,referring to the bed-end which Jimmy haserected as a T.V. aerial. “Terrible snowy,you sir”, grins Jimmy, then pounds offtowards Watergate.

Had there been a dance in the TownHall we would have positioned ourselveson the steps of The Munster and LeinsterBank and observed the dancers waltzingand quickstepping past the windows andlaughed ourselves sick as they‘Hucklebucked’ and ‘Twisted’ crazilywith red, ecstatic faces. But the TownHall is dark and silent now so we sit therein the shadowy street as people pass homein ones and twos from the pictures. Weare telling ghost stories now, stories ofbanshees, silver combs, silenced priests,cloven hooves, and men sprouting thedevil’s horns. In the gloomy, badly litstreet shadow seems sinister, and the mostoutlandish stories seem perfectly plausi-ble. On and on we talk until finally wehave to part and we run off home to thecomfort and safety of our beds as the oldtown lies sleeping beneath the pale andwatching moon.

Photographed at Fethard Carnival in the early 1970’s are L to R: Gerry Nevin, John Nagle, EamonKeane, John Fogarty, John O’Donovan, John Tobin, Michael Allen and Frank Heffernan.

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We had some great success atcounty, Munster and national

level throughout the year with athletesparticipating at the indoors, track andfield and cross-country championships.We have at present approximately 70 ath-letes registered and Miceál McCormackis club coach.

Our first outing in January 1998 wasto Nenagh for the national indoor cham-pionships. Silver medals were won byNiall Maher, in the men’s U/19 shot-puttand by Eoin Sullivan in the boys’ U/15300 meters while bronze medals went toBrian Sullivan in the boys’ U/17 1500meters and to Killian Connors in theboys’ U/13, 60m hurdles. Mid-Januarysaw us in Dundrum for the Munstersenior and junior cross-country champi-onships. Our U/17 girls’ team of AvrilProut, Katie Lyne, and Elaine Williams

were 2nd with the county team and 3rd inthe club team event. Brian Sullivan was2nd in the boy’s U/17 county team.

In the county ladies’ junior cross-country our U/17 girls’ team of AvrilProut, Katie Lyne, Lisa O’Donnell andElaine Williams won first team prize forthe first time in the history of the club.On Feb 16th we travelled to the nationalcross-country championships in Armagh.Brian Sullivan who was on the countyteam got bronze in the boys’ U/17 eventwhile our girls’ U/17 team of Avril Prout,Katie Lyne, and Elaine Williams also gotbronze in the club teams event. OnSunday June 14th we hosted the county10k road championship in Fethard inwhich Brian Sullivan won silver in thejunior men’s event over 3,000m. On June20th we travelled to the R.T.C. in Corkfor the Munster track and field champi-

Fethard Athletic Club

Members of Fethard Athletic Club pictured in the Tirry Community Centre Fethard at the presentation of the1997-’98 season's medals. The presentation ceremony concluded with a reception for athletes and parents.

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onships. Eoin Sullivan captured two goldmedals in the boys’ U/15, 800m and1,500m while his brother David gotbronze in the boys’ U/12, 600m. NiallMaher also got gold in the men’s U/19discus and silver in both the 100m andlong jump while his brother Eoinreceived bronze in the boys’ U/14, 100mand 300m. Silver medals were won byStephanie Lawrence in the girls’ U/980m, John Noonan in the boy’s U/15,100m and Killian Cannon in the boys’U/13, 300m. David O’Meara was 3rd inthe boys’ U/14 high jump.

At senior and veteran level MiceálMcCormack was 2nd in the men’s O/50,100m and 3rd in the 200m and the 800mwhile Carmel Condon was 2nd in theladies’ O/35, 100m.

The national track and field champi-onships were held in Tullamore duringJuly and August. In the junior section we

had Eoin Maher who won two silvermedals in the boys’ U/14 100m and300m. At veteran, junior and U/15 levelwe had great success with Eoin Sullivanwinning the boys’ U/15, 1,500m. Eoinalso won silver in the 800m, while hisbrother Brian captured bronze in themen’s U/17, 800m. Carmel Condon wonbronze in the ladies’ O/35, 100m andMiceál McCormack was 3rd in the men’sO/50, 100m, high jump and long jump.

We had a very busy year fundraisingand would like to take this opportunity tothank most sincerely all who supportedus. As a result we were in a position topurchase new singlets for our athletes.We also sponsored a trip for BrianSullivan who was selected by our nation-al coach, Dr. Orywal, for two weeks’training in Malta last April.

We wish all our athletes continuedsuccess for the coming season.

Fethard Ballroom

The ballroom committee is as fol-lows: Michael Ahearne

(Chairman), Corina Morrissey (Secretary),David O’Donnell (Treasurer), Gay Horan,Paddy Hickey, Sean Spillane and ConorMaher.

The ballroom had a very busy year in1998. It was in use every night of theweek and at the weekend is alive withthe sound of music, returning to its for-mer days of glory, as on Sunday nights itis once again the Ballroom of Romance.Crowds gather to dance the night away,drink a lemonade or have tea and cake.

The ballroom’s activities duringthe year included volleyball, indoorfootball, aerobics, as well as dancingof all kinds - Irish dancing, moderndance classes, and of course adult ball-

room dancing. The ballroom is used by various

local clubs and organisations in particu-lar the Scouts, Beavers, Ladybirds, GirlGuides and Macra na Feirme. It is usedfor community events, book fairs, oldfolks and children’s parties, card drives,auctions, fundraisers, and this year wasused by the Transition Years Students fortheir Junior Certificate Party. The com-mittee hopes the hall will have an equal-ly successful 1999 to allow them carryout the necessary repairs and improve-ments.

The committee would like to thankall those who supported them during theyear and would especially like to thankDavid O’Donnell, our treasurer for hisdedication and hard work.

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We, the Legion of Mary mem-bers, wish all our readers a

peaceful, joyous Christmas and a year ofpeace and spiritual blessings. Our groupcontinues to meet, to pray and to struggleto keep the Legion of Mary afloat in theparish. In order to be effective we needan increase in membership. The invitationto join Mary’s group is extended to all.

The last year of preparation for theyear 2000 is upon us. We need to extendour efforts to show we are to celebrate themomentous event of Jesus’ birth. Mary’spositive answer to the angel set in motionthe stupendous gift of life in heaven forall humankind. All we have to do is tocomply with the teachings of the Churchthat Jesus came to establish. He came tohelp and to guide us on our journey. The

Legion of Mary try to play a small part inhelping people to keep in mind the taskwe share in trying to assist our fellowtravellers to reach our eternal home.

Patrician Meetings are held inFethard to benefit all. They help to bringto mind the beauty and the challenge oflife. Discussions may not always pleaseeveryone, but they do serve to set usthinking and to help us to delve into TheCatechism of the Catholic Church now inprint since 1994.

Catholic papers are delivered locallyand are sold before some of the Masses.These papers keep us currently aware ofevents and questions covered from aChristian outlook. The Rosary recited inthe Cemeteries during November canremind us to keep up the prayers for all

Children from Burke Street and Abbey Street photographed at the Abbey Crib in the late 1950’s are Back L to R: Eileen Hayes, Mary Kenrick, Biddy Mullins, Dolores O’Flynn, June Kennedy.

Front L to R: Concepta Healy, Lou Kenrick, Ann Kenrick and Jacinta O’Flynn.

Legion of Mary

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our dear departed as well as for all thosewho now have no one to pray for them.There is great strength, encouragementand sense of community when so manymeet for daily Mass. While Sunday andHoly Day Masses are obligatory theweek day Mass is an extra help in thedaily work and the intentions that wepray for. There is a conscious effort toawaken people to the necessity to praythe Family Rosary.

The Annual Newsletter is now in thecapable hands of Joe Kenny, CarmelRice and Joe’s brother, Brendan. Wewish them every success as they go fromstrength to strength. We extend our sym-pathy to Joe and to Brendan whose moth-er, Mon, went to her eternal reward thispast year. During the past year some of

our young parishioners and a number ofour older people were called to theireternal home. Life is precious and agedoesn’t matter to those who have losttheir loved ones. While we pray for thedeparted we also pray for the aching andlonely hearts left behind.

We extend our gratitude to all whosupport us in the ‘Legion’. Fethard isstill a friendly place and we love to hearof so many visitors to the town. If wedon’t meet you we can hear about yourvisit from Tony Newport or from LaCurtin who is our local librarian. Let usknow if we can help you. We will cer-tainly pray for you. Please do not forget ushere. May Jesus and Mary guide all of us.

The Fethard Legion of Mary members

A forgotten graveyard

Just north of the parish boundary inthe townland of Woodhouse is the

almost forgotten Society of Friends’(Quaker) burial ground. The graveyardconsists of no more than 15 or 16 gravesfrom just a few families. Nevertheless,these Quaker families were apparentlyvery wealthy, vast landowners and playedan important part in the economic andsocial development of South Tipperary.

The first registered burial in theQuaker burial ground is that of JohnBoles who died in 1728. He predeceasedhis father, Jonathan John Boles who diedon 15th October, 1731. John Bolessenior came from Ballinastraw, Co.Carlow and built Woodhouse, which wasregistered as a meetinghouse.

Solomon Watson (who marriedAbigail, daughter of John Boles) died in1758. He inherited from his father-in-lawall the townlands of Mogorban,Silverfort, Saucestown, Clonbrogan,

Foulkestone, Buffanagh and part ofCurraghscarteen. It is very likely that hebuilt Silverfort House for his son’s wed-ding in 1746.

Buried also at Woodhouse are: SarahGoodwin, daughter of John Boles whodied on 16th August 1734; CharlesQuinn who died 15th June 1735;Elizabeth Goodwin who died 31stAugust 1736; James Watson who died23rd October 1748 was grandson ofSolomon Watson; Jonathan Boles IIIwho died 29th July 1748; was grandsonof John Boles 1st and had marriedElizabeth Godfrey (born 1718) daughterof John Godfrey of Molorbane orMoggerbane as it was then called. Hermother was Jane, daughter of ThomasGodwin. Jane died 10th September 1758and was buried at Woodhouse; ElizabethWatson who died 11th January 1750 wasgrand-daughter of Solomon Watson;Mary Fennell died 5th September 1814;

by Tony Newport

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Mary Shaw died 5th September 1814.The above families who were such

vast landowners must have had thegreater portion of the population of thedistrict dependent on them as tenants oremployees. The reputation of Quakers totheir followers is one of being most char-itable. History does not show that it wasotherwise in this locality. There are norecords of any outrages against any ofthe above families by any of theArcadian Societies such as The WhiteBoys, The Molly Maguires or RibbonMen, who were active against oppressivelandlords at the time.

As the Quakers believed that “allmen come into the world equal (withnothing) and left it the same way” they

did not permit headstones on graves.Therefore, “No towering marble is dis-played” or a headstone of any kind erect-ed to show where any of the graves islocated in the Quaker Cemetery of the“Society of Friends” at Woodhouse. Theburial ground covers just a small area andthe inscription “Society of Friends BurialGround” can still be deciphered on thenarrow stone arch over the entrance gate.

The length of time between the deathof Mary Shaw 1814 and that of SolomonWatson 1758, leaves one to wonder if theQuaker families had died out in that timeor is there some gap in the records. Thelast recorded burial in Woodhouse is thatof Elizabeth Godwin who died 21stMarch 1821.

Sister Mary Rita from KillustyAs a young girl of sixteen, Ellen

Agnes Corr left Cappadrummin,Killusty, Fethard, and joined the Conventof Mercy in IowaCity, USA. She waslater known as SisterMary Rita R.S.M.and served at MercyHospital inMarshalstown from1944 to 1946 and1953 to 1954. Shewas former adminis-trator of the localhospital and servedas surgical floorsupervisor, directorof the School ofNursing, AssistantH o s p i t a lA d m i n i s t r a t i o r ,director of Nursing Service and FirstCouncilor. Ellen entered the religiousprofession in 1914 and took her vows on

6th January 1917. She graduated fromMercy School of Nursing in1917 andreceived a BA in Adminstration in 1953.

She had a Certificate ofRegistration in Nursingas a Registered Nurse inIowa and was a mem-ber of the College ofHospital Administratorsfrom 1953 to 1964when she celebrated the50th Anniversary of herreligious profession.

Sister Mary Ritamade one journey homein April 1967, Shestayed in the home ofher brother-in-law,Mikey Joe Dunne, whopaid her way home andmade sure she met all

her family and friends. She died in 1973.A great achievement for a young girl fromthe foot of Slievenamon.

Sister Mary Rita R.S.M.

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Sometime between the Holy Yearand An Tóstal my aunt gave me

her box Brownie, a popular camera in itsday. To add a bit of excitement to thisnew hobby, I enquired about doing myown developing and printing. The lateDonal O’Sullivan was very helpful andprovided all the darkroom requisites. Infact, he gave me most of the stuff for halfnothing and plenty of good advice. Suchwas his nature. One item was a woodenframe into which you put the negativeand sensitised paper and then exposed itto sunlight until the image appeared.Sounds prehistoric, doesn’t it ?

The first subject was the view frommy bedroom window at the back of ourhouse in the Main Street. I took the pho-tograph around noon and proudly showedit, developed and printed, to all andsundry at about 4pm. I put it away care-fully for posterity to marvel at. At thetime of writing, and as I am not dead yet,posterity hasn’t got around to looking attheir heirlooms. Just as well, because Icame across the famous photographrecently and it shattered my faith in nos-

talgia. The scene is there all right in glo-rious black and white, but alas, the pic-ture quality is poor.

In the foreground I can see Davern’sgarden and McCarthy’s orchard andbeyond that The Valley and Mulligan’sbungalow. The Clashawley River is therebut I can’t quite make it out. Partly hid-den by some trees is a new house built byBob McCarthy who was a bank official.There was a horse running around thattime called Bob Gets Busy. Somehow, thetwo are fused in the memory. I can seeThe Furry Hill and Market Hill. I thinkthat’s Crean’s barn in the middle of thepicture but I can’t see their farmhouse.Somewhere around there I could detectthe first puffs of smoke around 8.15 a.m.when the morning train from Clonmel toThurles would suddenly appear and clat-ter its way, diddly do diddly do diddly dofrom left to right of the picture and thenslow down as it approached the redbridge at Kerry Street. I imagined it stop-ping at Fethard railway station and takingon lucky passengers bound for Dublinand beyond. No school for them.

“View from my bedroom window”

A room with a view by Billy McLellan

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There’s something exciting about anapproaching train and a feeling of loneli-ness when it departs.

(Do you remember Christmastime atthe station? The sense of anticipation asthe word went round that the train had leftFarranaleen. The brightly lit carriages as itcame alongside the platform. Puffs ofsteam. Doors opening and happy holiday-makers being greeted by their loved ones.)

Lying in bed in the darkness, I waitedfor the room to be suddenly illuminated bythe headlights of a car travelling fromClonmel and reaching the top of MarketHill. This created a bright reflection of thewindow frame on the opposite wall. Whenthe car came down the hill, the picturemoved and flickered as it passed by gapsin the ditches along the way. Noiseless,like a silent film. When the car reachedthe little bridge at Jesuits Walk, the lightdisappeared and darkness would return.After a short interval the silence would bebroken by the sound of the car coming upthe Main Street. Was it going on toKillenaule, down Burke Street or up theRocklow Road ? In that room just beforesleep, I counted cars, not sheep.

There are other things visible from thewindow that do not appear on the photo-graph. The outside wire aerial to better

receive Athlone on the medium wave andthe BBC Light Programme on the longwave — The Kennedys of Castlerosse andDick Barton respectively. I made that aer-ial as long as I could to get RadioLuxembourg on 208. In those days youalso had to have an earth wire connected tothe back of the radio. But there was noth-ing earthbound about the Top Twenty.That long wire aerial was the 1950’sequivalent of today’s satellite dishes.

From that window I could see our tallkitchen chimney that served the StanleyNo 9 range in the kitchen. Somehow thearrangement never worked properly andbroke my mother’s heart. It couldn’t com-pare with Brett’s Stanley No 8 across thestreet that didn’t have a tall chimney butwas hopping hot all winter. I remembertalk about flues and drafts and endlessthermal theories. But I was more interest-ed in Indian smoke signals down at theCapitol Cinema.

Around the same time my grandfather,Bill Tierney, gave me his old HMV gramo-phone complete with records and needles.Now there was music, movies, a cameraand the wireless. This was multi mediaforty years before they coined the term.

And sure didn’t I have Windows ’52 aswell.

Town Hall dance in the 1950’s L to R: Austin O’Flynn, John Whyte, Marie O’Sullivan and Declan Mulligan.

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This year we have 24 paid-upmembers on the Guild. Officers

are as follows: President: SheilaO’Donnell, Vice-President: Nuala Delaney,Secretary: Joan Heffernan, and Treasurer:Cathy Aylward, with the followingCommittee: Aggie Barrett, Kit O’Rourke,Phil Wyatt, Mary Leahy, Nora Ahearne,Breda Slattery, Rose Holohan, KayMcGrath, Anne Gleeson, and La Curtin.

In order to facilitate members whowished to attend Historical Society meet-ings, guild meetings were changed fromthe fourth Tuesday of each month to thesecond Tuesday, with committee meet-ings on the last Tuesday of each month— a little confusing for those of us whohad lived with the former dates foralmost fifty years. At committee meet-ings much thought and effort were putinto the drawing up of an agenda forinteresting and enjoyable guild meetings,as well as dealing with the more mun-dane aspects of I.C.A. affairs at guild,federation, council and executive level.One of the features at our guild meetings

during the year was a talk by MarySkelly, Kilcoran, on shrubs and bulbs forautumn planting. At the same Septembermeeting, Noreen Allen displayed thepatchwork quilt made by some of themembers with her advice and help. Thesame is due to be raffled later in the year.

Beauty was the theme of the Octobermeeting, when Fionnula O‘Sullivan andSally Duggan gave a talk and demonstra-tion on skin care, emphasising the impor-tance of cleansing and toning. Two ofour members who had just returned fromAn Grianán, also shared some of thehighlights of their week with us.

At the November meeting we hadthree guests from Drangan Guild, MsO’Donghue from Clonmel gave a talk onCandle making and had a great selectionof candles for sale at the meeting. On 11December ‘97 the Guild’s annualChristmas dinner was held at J’sRestaurant and was, as before, a mostenjoyable occasion.

At the January meeting TonyNewport and Brendan Kenny gave a

I.C.A. Fethard Guild

Fethard ICA Guild Celebrating their 50th Anniversary in the Fethard Arms, 1977

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photographic slide exhibition from theKenrick Glass Plates depicting life atGrove House at the beginning of the cen-tury, taking us back in time to a way oflife now lost forever, but which neverthe-less evoked happy memories for membersand guests alike.

The February meeting featured a talkby Lucy Townsley on acupuncture andalternative medicines and at the Marchmeeting, Megan Sceats, Crampscastle,gave a demonstration on dough craft, anddisplayed some of her finished Items. Atthe April meeting Mrs Lawlor gave acookery demonstration, using Tupperwaredishes in a microwave cooker. We alsoheld classes in yoga and art on a weeklybasis throughout the spring and autumn.

Gardens featured strongly in theguild’s outings this year, with visits toGeraldine Hanly’s garden in Drangan,O’Brien’s Clonmel, and Pierce’s garden inthe Nire Valley, this visit being followedup by an enjoyable social evening atHearns Hotel.

Eight members attended an‘International Night’ in Clonmel inNovember ‘97, and in March three of ourmembers attended an ‘Irish Night’ in

Cashel. On 23 December ‘97 we held ourraffle in the O’Connell Hall, after whichan excellent tea was served to all whoattended. The worthwhile prizes for theraffle were: a patchwork quilt made bysome of our guild members; two cushions;a bottle of wine and a Christmas Cake. InFebruary a raffle for two half-scholarshipsto An Grianán was held, the lucky winnersbeing Cathy Aylward and Joan Heffernan.

During the year the Guild was repre-sented at Federation and Council meet-ings, and at local level, guild membersmanned the collection for the Irish HeartFoundation at all weekend Masses on thedesignated date and several are involvedwith Senior Citizens, Meals-on-Wheelsand Hospice Associations as well as theannual Flower Show. This year’sChristmas Party will again be held at J’sRestaurant on Dec. 8th when we look for-ward to the company of members past andpresent.

Our funds are in a fairly healthy state,thanks to the financial expertise and dili-gence of our treasurer Cathy Aylward, aswe look with confidence and enthusiasmto another satisfactory year in FethardICA.

Bring on the clowns

It has to be a sad day for parents andchildren alike if, due to the lack of

a site to pitch its ‘Big Top’, a circus hasto cancel its matinee and evening perfor-mances thereby depriving us of a fewhours of wonderment and bliss. I amsure, of course, that cancellations haveoccurred in other towns throughoutIreland but this did not console me as,when arriving into town, I met thecolourful trucks and vans of Fossett’sCircus going in the direction of Cashel.In these days of video, television, satel-

lite, internet and other distractionswouldn’t it be wonderful if we could turnback the ‘time machine’ and once againexperience the thrill and excitement thatthe coming of the circus aroused in us inthe days of childhood innocence. Theradio, or wireless as it was then known,dominated the early forties with the cine-ma arriving later in the decade.However, neither could prevent the cir-cus having a full-house on the night theywere performing. At that time JohnDuffy had the largest ‘fit’, with Fossett’s

by Tom McCormack

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in second place. Duffys wintered inDunmanway, County Cork and took inSouth Tipperary towns early in the sum-mer on their way up North. They usual-ly performed in Cashel the night beforecoming to Fethard.

From early morning multicolouredhorse-drawn wagons or caravans couldbe seen as they appeared to cascadedown the steep hill close to the railwaystation. On reaching the bridge theyturned left entering the Main Street andthen on to the Barrack Field, nowrenamed Fethard G.A.A. Park, the usualsite for their annual performances.There, within a few hours, the ‘diggers’,having worked very hard, would see thefruits of their endeavour achieved whenthe taut canvas would be raised from theground to form a glorious amphitheatre.For those of us peering through the nar-row school windows the appearance oftwo flags fluttering in the distance her-alded an afternoon and evening of heart-stopping entertainment. Advertisingposters were erected on E.S.B. poles andin shop windows for weeks beforehand,and on the day, the various acts would beendorsed by a member of the circus on a

hand loud-hailer. Sometimes theannouncer would be dressed as a clownand make sure we were all well acquaint-ed with the ‘Russian Knife Thrower’, the‘Bear Trainer from China’ and the‘Snake Charmer from Baghdad’, etc. andwhile most of us were aware that thesame fellow was like God — three per-formances in one — it didn’t matter adam, the circus was in town.

Prices of entry ranged from 1/6p (oneand sixpence) to 5s (five shillings) with aspecial roped enclosure at ground levelfor what Brendan Behan called the horsegentry, this at a cost of 10s (ten shillings)and in those years this amounted to halfthe labouring man’s weekly wage.Arriving early for the shows, those of uswho were still attending school and withvery little money, would make severalattempts to breech the canvas. Thisalways met with failure and we finallyparted with the one shilling and sixpenceentry fee, and while we may have failedin our mission to enter scot-free wealways felt it was our duty to attempt tocarry this out.

Inside the circus band played loudand brassy, mainly tunes of the day such

Duffy and Sons Circus, band, actors, horses etc. in front of 'Big Top'

40


as ‘Blueberry Hill’, ‘La Paloma’ and‘Casey was waltzing the StrawberryBlonde’, while the audience waited withbaited breath. Horses and ponies alwayshad a major role in the show. A group ofsix would start the night’s entertainmentand at the crack of the ringmaster’s whipwould salute the crowd by standing ontheir hind quarters. Clowns interjectedbetween each act to the delight of theyounger audience members.

The ‘slack’ or ‘high wire’ perfor-mance was an act highly respected by thecrowd and while the artists worked thewire you could hear a pin drop. After theact the tension was lifted by the arrival ofa large group of clowns in a tiny motorcar. After five minutes of banter they allclimbed back in to the car which usuallycollapsed bringing howls of laughterfrom the crowd. People generallyrelaxed as they waited for the next act.The night would proceed withConnemara and Shetland ponies tappingthe ground with their hooves, letting youknow their age; dogs racing around thering, pulling small trailers made of wood;a snake charmer that you thought yousaw earlier selling candy floss; and a fel-low dressed like an Indian throwingsmall hatchets at an unfortunate youngwoman standing against a timber boardlooking as if it was the end of the worldand, indeed, one slip of a hatchet and itwould have turned out exactly so. It wasno wonder then that clowns were intro-duced afterwards to let us know that lifewas only a barrel of laughs and we couldall open our eyes again.

The three acts that followed the mid-show break really made the night. Thefirst in the ring was the ‘Bucking Mule’,followed by the welcoming invitation tomembers of the audience to mount theanimal and stay mounted for a number of

seconds. Within a minute the ring wouldbe filled with young and not so youngmen who saw themselves as future GrandNational jockeys. In all my young yearswatching this event, I never saw one per-son conquer this half-bred animal. His‘butt’ facing, his back legs shot out likepistons discouraging anyone who intend-ed climbing onto his back.

Next you would see the arrival of thestrong man, ‘Young Atlas’, or in lateryears Kerryman ‘Butty Sugrue’ and thesame invitation would be given to comeand lift the weights. Some went in but itlacked the fun and sport attached to rid-ing the mule.

The show nearly always finishedwith the trapeze act and here the crowdstared spellbound as a troupe of youngmen and women soared gracefully and inharmony high above the crowd. Nowand again the older boys would shout andwhistle at the trapeze girls. SometimesDuffy’s might have a few lions with atamer. He received great applause whenhe finished his act by sticking his headinto one of the lion’s mouths. Unless I’mgreatly mistaken this sadly happenedonce to often.

I always felt sad when, during the lastten minutes of the show, a gaping holeappeared in the tent. As this was a suresign that the show was ending. With theexception of a few empty cigaretteboxes or sweet bags only the roundsawdust circle gave any indication thata circus had been to town. Lookingtowards the Barrack Field on our way toschool the following morning ourthoughts turned to the year ahead andthe return of the circus.

Painted wagons rolling down,past the station towards the town.Stunning brass on harness brown

each trailer bright displays a clown.

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The Annual General Meeting ofFethard and Killusty Angling

Club took place on 20th February and thefollowing committee elected: TomFogarty (chairman); David Grant (secre-tary/treasurer); Jim Sayers, MattieFleming, Jim O’Brien and Michael Allen.

The dates for the season’s competi-tions were set. Club membership waslimited to fifty members and the annualfee was raised from £7 to £8. Fees forjuveniles, up to the age of 16, was set at£3. We wish all our members, past andpresent, a very Happy Christmas.

Fethard and Killusty Angling Club

FIRST SECOND THIRD

Spring Competition David Grant Jim Sayers (no fish)“Tom Shea Cup”Evening Competition Matty Fleming Willie McGrath Tom Fogarty“Eddie O’Neill Trophy”Autumn Competition Tom Fogarty Matty Fleming Norman Regan“John O’Donnell Cup”John Sayers Trophy Matty Fleming Tom Fogarty George McGrath

Fethard & Killusty Anglers pictured at the weigh-in at Kiltinan Barracks after the John Sayers Trophycompetition. Front L to R: John Fleming; Mattie Fleming (winner); Tom Sayers (retired chairman).

Back L to R: Tony Quigley, Johnny Sheehan, Jim Sayers, Tom Fogarty (second prize), George McGrath (third prize), Norman O’Reagan, and David Grant. Chairman Tom Fogarty made a special presentation

to Tom Sayers who retired during the past year after serving as chairman for 20 years.

Results of Competitions — 1998

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Visitors to Fethard during the year

Con Fitzgerald and his wife Renee pictured at home on holidays from Bradford with his son Michael andhis wife Elizabeth outside the Gateway B&B. Also included is Chris Nevin, proprietor Gateway B&B.

Anne and Liam Connolly (right), St. Patrick’s Place, photographed with Mary and Danny O'Donnell and their grandson Michael O'Donnell home on holidays from Ontario, Canada.

Richard Cummins pictured with his two aunts Eileen (Cummins) Farrelly, Cavan, and Noreen (Cummins) Nugent, Clonmel. Richard is now living in the original family home at Monroe.

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At our AGM the following offi-cers were elected: Presidents:

Jim O’Meara and Dan Sheehan,Chairman: Kevin Ryan, Secretary:Michael Cranitch, Treasurer: LouisCoen. Selection Committee: SeanAylward, Michael Cranitch, TomKearney, Bob Maher and Kevin Ryan.

Last season’s pride of place went toour Junior ‘B’ team who won theDivision 5 league. Great credit is due toall concerned especially manager GeorgeWilliams and selector Davy Maher.Gerry Murphy captained the team.Brendan Brett was the ‘Player of theYear’. Martin was top scorer. Eamon

Holohan was chosen as the leagueDivision 5 ‘Player of the Year’.

Our youth team acquitted themselveswell in their first year, lack of experienceproved their downfall especially in thecup competitions. Nicky Murphy waschosen as youth ‘Player of the Year’ andJason Nevin was top scorer. Our Premierteam failed to live up to expectations,finishing well down the league table andgoing out of the Cup competitions rathertamely. Martin Coen was ‘Player of theYear’. Shay Coen was top scorer.

We would like to wish all our friendsand all our ex-players both home andabroad a happy and peaceful Christmas.

Killusty Soccer Club

Killusty Soccer Club 20 years agoThis photo was taken in Killusty after the local team won the annual seven-a-side tournament. Photoincludes: Supporters Back L to R: Bríd Halpin (Kearney), May Ryan, Minnie Allen, Vera Sheehan,

Rena Sheehan, Tom Sheehan, Chris Aylward, Philip Prout, Tom Halpin, Eugene Duggan, TonyAylward, T.J. Sheehan, Patrick Sheehan, Alice Halpin (O’Gorman), Dan Sheehan with baby Catherine,

Mrs Pat Sheehan, Mick Halpin, Mary Aylward Brown holding Sarah Coen. Children L to R: JohnRyan, Paddy Ryan, Martin Ryan, Tom Ryan, Martin Coen, Stephen Aylward, Patrick Murray, Debbie

Coen, Chris Coen, Paul Duggan, John Murray, Shay Coen, Pete McEvoy, John Sheehan. Team Back L to R: Pat Ryan, Kevin Ryan, Joe Allen, Paddy Halpin, Louis Coen. Front L to R:

Michael Sheehan, Sean Aylward, Philip O’Connell and Bernard Feery. For the record, Paddy Halpinscored two goals and Kevin Ryan scored three to give Killusty a 5-4 victory over St. Patrick’s Cashel.

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In 1248 the Augustinians made theirfirst foundation in a small village

called Clare in Suffolk, England. Lessthan 50 years later they had many more‘houses’ in England and a few in Ireland.In 1305 they set up the foundation herein Fethard and what became known asthe Augustinian Abbey was built. Muchof the Church building still in use todaydates from that year. The then Friars’residence is now a ruin as is the LadyChapel. The refectory and the flourmillwere knocked down altogether and thenew ‘huge’ flourmill was built in 1791.That building was a near ruin when thepeople of Fethard restored it and turned itinto a magnificent public amenity —Abymill Theatre which opened officiallyon 26 May, 1988. Towering as it doesover the Abbey Church it looks magnifi-

cent and the Church by contrast lookslike a rundown forgotten-about formeramenity, a sad sight in itself and made tolook doubly sad by the magnificence ofthe restored Mill — and all that on theoutside, at first glance.

Inside, the Church has undergonemany changes in the near 700 years of itsexistence. Various alterations took placeas change was imposed for one reasonand another. There was a time when thepeople could not even see into the upperpart of the Church where Office andMass were celebrated by the friars. Itwas deemed sufficient that the peoplecould hear – (“hear Mass”).

A firm of reputable engineering con-sultants, Malachy Walsh and Partners,were engaged to make a report on thecondition of the fabric and building ser-

Augustinian Abbey Restoration

Fr. Ben O’Brien OSA accepting a cheque for $1,000 from Donal Ryan, Tullamaine,Fethard. Donal is a trustee of the Co. Tipperary N&B Association of New York who

kindly donated the money towards the restoration of the Abbey.

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vices of the Abbey and to make recom-mendations. The report confines itself tothe Church only as it is not intended tocarry out substantial works to the cryptarea linking the Church to the mill build-ing, at least not at this time.

They have recommended the follow-ing to preserve what they call the enve-lope – roof and walls – in the long-termand improve its appearance straightaway.The removal of the existing ceiling isenvisaged in this.

1. The roof finish has to be attend-ed to. New gutters and pipes etc.for the removal of rain waterhave to be provided.

2. The walls have to be attended toas they are part plastered andpart unplastered. Some of theplaster has worn away in places.There is a certain amount ofmoisture penetration.

3. It is possible that the confession-als will be taken out and theseareas to be made good. Also theside porch on the car park side tobe made consonant with the restof the buildings.

4. They recommend a new concretefloor slab which will accommo-date an underfloor heating sys-tem, insulated to current build-ing standards.

5. A whole new heating systemwithin the church necessitates anew boiler house remote from thechurch. The existing boilerhouse will be decommissionedand the horrible chimney defac-ing the wall linking the church tothe mill will be removed and thewall restored.

6. Substantial upgrading of theelectrical requirements is also

necessary. This will include newemergency lighting to complywith Fire Officer requirements,replacing existent wiring,upgrading of distribution boardand upgrading of the existingE.S.B. supply.

7. An entirely new roof over theside-chapel, sloped and slated,to fit in with the main roof is alsorecommended.

The estimated cost in early 1997 wasclose to £600,000. Building costsincreased by 7% in 1997 and we have topresume that they continue to increase.At present we have gathered £300,000towards the work. The expectation isthat the Government will put up most ofthe rest. If the Government elects not todo so, the new roof over the side-chapel,the removal of the chimney, confessionboxes and porch entrance to side-chapelall will have to be abandoned. Thechurch won’t fall on that account but theoverall impression of this venerableNational Monument (it is listed) willcontinue to suffer in spite of (becauseof!) its venerable old age. It is chilling tothink that although it is a NationalMonument and as such belongs to thestate, it is left to the people of Fethardand the countryside around to ensure itsfuture and be responsible for its presen-tation. In the face of the obvious sacri-fices made locally we have to expect thatour public representatives would ensurethat the state fulfil its obligation. Fethardpeople everywhere around the world can‘chip in’ with financial support and theyshould lean on anybody and everybodyto get the political masters to measure upto this responsibility. In 20 years time,even less, Fethard will be a thrivingtourist attraction and will be well gearedto meet the demands as such. What a

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pity if one of its major features continuesto point to a lapse in appreciation of ourcultural heritage. In the year 2005 wewill celebrate a 700th birthday. It is nottoo soon to get this ‘house’ in order.

Apart from the work already listed,interior decorating and reorganisationwill also be undertaken. If all goes welland all the work is done we will then putour minds towards establishing a histori-cal centre to commemorate BlessedWilliam Tirry and also to provide safe-keeping for the statue of Our Lady ofFethard. This has been in safe keeping inthe National Museum for a good numberof years. Fethard has much to recom-mend it as it stands. Retrieving what we

can of the past is work begun and carriedalong successfully by CommunityCouncils, The Historical Society, TheFriends of Fethard, and all involved inthe retrieval and restoration of Abymill.

Fethard people everywhere can baskin the glow of what has been accom-plished by the ones who stayed at homeand the many ‘outsiders’ who now regardFethard as their hometown. The Abbeywill be there when all of us are gone.How wonderful it is as it stands to thememory of all who are long gone duringseven centuries and still are recalledsomehow in the very sight and appear-ance of Fethard Abbey. “The ties thatlink us together are not all gone.”

Tipperary’s medieval grave-slabs

The Abymill Theatre played hostto a special event on Friday 23rd

January, when local girl Denise Maher’spublished study of “Medieval Grave-Slabs of County Tipperary, 1200-1600AD”, was officially launched by Dr.Martin Mansergh who is special advisor

to An Taoiseach, Bertie Ahearn. Theguest speaker at the launch was ProfessorPeter C. Woodman from the Departmentof Archeology, University College Cork.

On the night, the entire stock ofbooks reserved for the launch were soldout at the special price of £25.

L to R: Peter C. Woodman, U.C.D., Denise Maher, author; and Dr. Martin Mansergh.

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The officers and committee elect-ed at the 11th Annual General

Meeting of Fethard Historical Societyare as follows: Joe Kenny, chairman;Terry Cunningham, vice-chairman;Margaret Newport, secretary; ChristineNevin, assistant secretary; MaryHanrahan, public relations officer.Committee members: Gemma Burke,Kathleen McCormack, Kitty Delany,Diana Stokes, Peter Grant, David Sceatsand Marie O’Donnell. The meeting tookplace on 31st March 1998 and for thefirst time the review of the year’s eventswas presented in video format by MaryHanrahan and Peter Grant.

The Fethard Historical Society contin-ues to be as vibrant as ever with a paid-upmembership of 124 to date, and the eventsof the past year reflect, once again, ourmany and varied interests. The eventsheld throughout the year were as follows:

‘The Bartons of Grove’ (25/11/97) by

Tony Newport — a most comprehensivehistory of the Barton family explaininghow they came to Fethard and elucidat-ing the French connection.

‘Fethard before the Normans’(2/12/97) by Pat Dargan B.A. DublinInstitute of Technology — this lectureevoked a lot of interest but although Pat’stheory regarding the possible existenceof an early Christian site, upon whichFethard was built, is very interesting,there is no definitive proof as yet toprove that the theory is valid.

‘Ballingarry Mines’ (29/5/98) by PatDunne, Cashel — highlighted the extentof Fethard connections with the mines,which was evident in the number of ex-miners and their families present at thelecture. Pat outlined the day-to-day rou-tine of mining and vividly described theever-present hardships and dangers ofthis hazardous occupation illustrated sotellingly in the slideshow.

Fethard Historical Society

Members of Fethard Historical Society on a walking tour of Clonmel with Liam O Duibhir in June this year.

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‘Walkabout Clonmel’ (15/6/98) — agroup from the society went on a mostinteresting walkabout of medievalClonmel with Liam O Duibhir, chairmanClonmel Historical Society.

‘Trail of 1798’ trip to Wexford(25/7/98) — this was our main outing ofthe summer comprising the 1798Interpretative Centre, Enniscorthy, FernsCastle, The Fr. Murphy Centre, Oulart,Vinegar Hill and the reconstruction ofthe Dunbrody tall ship.

‘Orangeism’ (25/8/98) by KevinHaddick Flynn, London — an excellentlecture, well constructed, and well deliv-ered containing a wealth of informationon the interesting connections betweenvarious bodies – Protestant, Catholic,Freemasons and Orangemen. We lookforward to Kevin’s lecture onNationalism next year.

Throughout 1997 the FethardHistorical Society hosted the monthly‘Back(s) to the Wall’ traditional music

nights in Pat O’Shea’s Lounge Bar, MainStreet, with the final session and partytaking place on 1st December ’97. Ourthanks to all the musicians who took partand to all our members who came alongto support them.

Congratulations to local archaeolo-gist Denise Maher, Abbey Street, wholaunched her book on MedievalGraveslabs in the Abymill Theatre,Fethard on Friday 16th Jan ’98. FethardHistorical Society members helped coor-dinate the event with the Maher family.

The third Annual Tipperariana Bookfair took place on the 8th Feb. 1998 andonce again, proved a resounding success,both as an enjoyable event forbooklovers and from a financial point ofview, the society raising £1,200 sorelyneeded funds. As usual there were book-sellers present from all over Ireland, cov-ering all areas of interest, from antiquar-ian to popular fiction. One of the high-lights of the day was the ‘stereoscope’

Pictured at the 1998 Ford Irish Conservation Awards were (left) Minister for the Environment NoelDempsey TD; (right) Mr. Eddie Nolan, Chairman and Managing Director Henry Ford & Son Ltd

with Dóirín Saurus and John Cooney representing the Fethard Historical Society who won the awardin the Heritage category for their ongoing work on the ‘Kenrick Collection of Glass Plates’.

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showing photographs from the 1850’sand 1860’s and brought to us by GráinneMac Lochlainn, Curator of Photographs,National Library of Ireland. Also presentto sign their books were Denise Maher,Fethard, and Michael Coady, Poet,Carrick on Suir.

In January, our chairperson, JoeKenny set up the ‘Fethard at Home’ web-site on the Internet, featuring the FethardHistorical Society among others. Sonow, our members at home and abroad,can keep up-to-date with our activities at:www.fethard.com

The Kenrick Photographic Projectundertaken by Joe Kenny in 1997 wasthe recipient of two prestigious awards in1998. The first was the HeritageCouncil, Heritage Award 1997, a bronzeplaque mounted on wood, which waspresented to Joe Kenny and TerryCunningham on behalf of the society inKilkenny on 27/4/98. The second was the

Henry Ford European ConservationAward 1998 – overall winner in Irelandfor Heritage section – comprising £1,000prize money plus a handcrafted porcelainfigurine of an eagle. Congratulationsonce again to Joe on an excellent projectbrilliantly executed!

Preserving the walkways and rights-of-way in and around Fethard is a majorconcern of the Society and has featuredon our agenda for the past number ofyears. This year we once again clearedthe Monroe-Strylea walkways, and adedicated quartet: Jimmy O’Shea,Johnny Burke, Tom McCormack andMiceál McCormack, continued the pro-ject and spearheaded the clearing of thewalkway at Moanbeg. All the hard workculminated in a most enjoyable walkabout on Heritage Day (6/9/98) startingfrom the Cashel Road via Monroe,Rocklow, Strylea, The Green,Abbeyville, Jesuits Walk – with a detour

Éamon Ó Cuív, Minister of State at the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaelteacht and the Islands, pre-senting the Heritage Council Award to Joe Kenny, Chairman Fethard Historical Society, marking the

completion of the ‘Kenrick Glass Plates’ project. Also included is Freda Rountree, chairperson of TheHeritage Council who funded the project.

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to view the work-in-progress at Moanbeg– and back to the Ballroom car park.

In September, we were delighted tohost the Autumn Seminar of theFederation of Local History Societies inthe Abymill Theatre. The one-day semi-nar comprised a meeting of the F.L.H.S.committee, a lecture on ‘1848- anOverview’ by Jonathon McCabe UCD,lunch at J’s, a walk of Fethard led byMary Hanrahan, then on to theSlieveardagh Heritage Centre,Killenaule, the Flag Monument, TheCommons and finally WidowMcCormack’s Cottage in Ballingarry.Those taking part in the seminar camefrom as far afield as Dublin, Galway andKerry and all were most impressed at thewealth of Medieval buildings in Fethard,some of them even promising a returnvisit with their respective societies.

This summer the society once againavailed of the Student’s Summer

Employment Scheme, employing 16 stu-dents in all who worked mainly on cata-loguing the local graveyards, newspaperresearch and the copying of all birth, deathand marriage records in the county clinicdating back to 1860. As well as therecords relating to Fethard, the studentsalso copied records from Kiltinan,Tullamaine, Mullinahone and Killenaule.The undertaking cost about £300 and itwill entail a further two years work for allthe records to be entered onto computer.

The Fethard Historical Society alsoapplied to the Tipperary (S.R.) Co.Council to be a member of the newlyformed Strategic Policy Committee. At afurther meeting in Cahir House Hotel on12th October it was decided that our rep-resentative on the committee will be TimShanahan, Enterprise Centre, Cahir.

Fethard has been nominated for fund-ing amounting to £95,000 under theUrban and Village Renewal Programme,and our society was involved on the nego-tiating committee throughout the year inmeetings with the Co. Council, Leaderand FÁS to determine how best the moneyshould be spent. The society also part-funded the production of a touristbrochure in conjunction with TipperaryLeader Group and Fethard & KillustyMuintir Council.

Immediate upcoming events include alecture on ‘Old Cures’ by MartinO’Dwyer; centenary commemorationevent for John Cantwell, poet, MarketHill; our Christmas Dinner in J’sRestaurant; and preparations forTipperariana ’99 which will be held in theBallroom on Valentine’s Day, 14thFebruary, 1999.

We look forward to another event-ful year, to all our members at homeand abroad we say “Nollaig Shonadhíbh go léir”.

Remember Connie

Connie Coen, Brodeen, who died accidentallyin London, February 1982, aged 31.

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I’ve always had a great love for thesport of Judo and Aikido since

1962 when I studied both as a studentunder a very high rankingJapanese Master KenshiroAbbe 8th Dan, and I washonoured to be asked toteach Judo in Australia.

In 1982 three of usfounded our local clubFethard Judo Kwai, (Kwaimeans society). The origi-nal Trustee/Founders wereMichael O’Meara RIP,Rory Walshe, and myself,Johnny Sheehan. Todaythere are only two of theoriginal trustees left but theClub is still going wellunder the tutelage of EricO’Donnell, 1st Dan, who ishimself a efficient and fearless competi-tor, having won most major awards upfor grabs, including a bronze award in

the American-Canadian YouthChampionships in America a couple ofyears ago, and if his young charges copy

his tactics and techniquesthey should be amongst thebest on Ireland. We won’tever let it be forgotten thatin the Irish Open U-18 in1989, we (the FethardClub), took eight goldmedals on the day and Ericwas one of the gold medal-lists. This has never beenachieved either since orbefore by any club, wealso won three bronze onthe same day, not bad fromtwenty-three competitors.

So best of luck andgood wishes Eric for1999 and beyond and sin-

cere good wishes to all our friendsrelations and neighbours for a Happyand Holy Christmas.

Fethard Judo Club

Fethard, Lower Main Street, in the 1940’s

Eric O’Donnell

by Johnny Sheehan

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One Sunday morning, about fif-teen years ago, a group of young

Tipperary men were amusing themselveslifting and throwing weights in a sunnyfield on the slope of Market Hill, nearFethard. Which of them was strongest,or seemed most likely to uphold the fairfame of their gallant county, I have neverheard nor inquired. It may have beenJohn Cantwell, of Hill Farm, the subjectof this paper. He was one of the group,and the most popular young man in thecountryside, well-known as an ardentpatriot, a promising writer, and the sweetsinger of many songs “true to the Gaelicear.” One thing is certain, that for himthat morning’s sport proved fatal, by rea-son of a serious hurt to which, within ayear, he succumbed, leaving Ireland thepoorer by his death. Ireland is ever thepoorer by the death of her poets. I amthinking not only of those like Davis andMangan, whom Ireland cannot forget lesther own right hand be forgotten, but ofevery singer, no matter how obscure,who, in the furrow or on the footpath, feltthe warm thrill of patriotism and sang itinto the colder souls of his countrymen.

It was while working in the furrowsof his own fields at Hill Farm that JohnCantwell “heard the voice of Banba.”She spoke to him as she had spoken toCharles Kickham, even in the very sameplaces, saying “sing of me to my chil-dren,” and he sang, of all that was brightand beautiful, tender and touching, in thefair scenes, simple lives and cherishedmemories of his homeland. His songs

entitle him to an honoured place amongstthe great Tipperary men whose names arebeing enrolled on the pages of yourAnnual.

From a short biographical sketch,written in affectionate remembrance byhis sister, we learn that Cantwell receivedhis education at the Patrician Monastery,Fethard. Like many others, he seemed tohave owed his early love of study andwriting to the encouragement and refinedtaste of his mother. His first poem wascomposed when he was only seventeen.One year after he published a prize storyin which the interest of a local traditionwas enhanced by the expressive idiom ofTipperary.

From the time of his father’s deathhis intelligence and industry were devot-ed to the cultivation of his farm. Butboth before and after he always managedto have leisure moments which he devot-ed to extending his knowledge and writ-ing down his thoughts, the proof andfruits of which we have in several storiesand sketches, published and unpublished,and some twenty-five poems, mostlysongs, all redolent of the pure, sweetinfluence of his surroundings, all glow-ing with the love and the hopes ofIreland.

His death was the occasion of a highand sincere tribute from the present edi-tor of the Tipperary Annual. In the cur-rent number of The Nationalist (Weds. 7Dec, 1898) we read: “We regret to learnthat this highly-talented and promisingyoung Tipperary man passed away this

John Cantwell, Poet and Patriot(P.A.D.were the initials of Father P.A. Doyle, OSA who, while serving in his first ministry inFethard, became acquainted with the poems of John Cantwell through Cantwell’s sister, Mrs

Long, who lived in the home place on Market Hill. John Cantwell died on 2 December1898. Fr. Doyle’s article, printed below is taken from ‘The Tipperary Annual’ of December1912. You will notice small variations between P.A.D.’s version of the poems and earlier

editions of the same poems published in The Nationalist while Cantwell was alive.)

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morning, aged about 27 years. Many ofhis poetic contributions, which possessedmuch merit and were greatly admired,appeared in The Nationalist.”

I have before me as I write two cut-tings from this paper of Cantwell’s vers-es. One is entitled “Sons of Tipperary,”a sturdy song to an Irish popular air,voicing the national sentiments of theday. The other, dated Christ ‘91, we givehere in full, as a fair type of the refinedthought and musical ring of Cantwell’spoems.

Christmas in the Long Ago

In the golden long ago,Erin’s hills were fair and free,

And the sparkling Christmas snowClothed mountain, vale and tree;

Christmas bells were sweetly ringing,Peace and joy to mortals bringing -

Drowning human grief and woe,In the golden long ago.

In the golden long agoMirth and laughter shook the halls;

Battle-trophies in a rowGleamed on decorated walls;

Valiant knights - the type of duty,And their dames - the pink of beauty,

Kissed beneath the mistletoeIn the golden long ago.

In the golden long agoBeaded holy glistened bright,

Twined in battle-axe and bow -What a weird and thrilling sight.

Minstrels sang the strange old story,Of the Babe, the Lord of Glory,

By the yule-logs’ ruddy glowIn the golden long ago.

Ah, the golden long ago.Silence reigns where shout and jest

Thrilled and throbbed through night and snow-Prince and gleeman sleep at rest.Valour’s shield no longer flashes,Beauty’s mould is dust and ashes;

All are faded, like the snow,Of the golden long ago.

The publication of two others ofCantwell’s poems brings me to a littleincident in which the writer had to figure.It was on coming into possession of cer-tain rooms, in a certain house, in a littletown in Wexford, that the manuscript ofthese poems fell into my hands.Undistinguished, in a heap of uselessdocuments they were doomed, on firstimpulse, to serve the need of kindling formy fire. The occasion came; I openedthe door of their dusty prison, and lo! likethe Sheag na Morav aroused from theirlong sleep, the verses of Cantwell seizedmy attention, and appealed, not only tobe spared, but to be sent forth on theirmessage to Ireland. Here are the twopoems that I very willingly rescued andpublished in the new pages of theTipperary Star.

Anner’s Bright Stream

Not a spot in Tipperary - its mountains or rills,E’en the haunts of the fairy, amid its green hills,Nor valley, nor wild-wood to me is more dear

Than the haunts of my childhood ‘neath Corrig-mo-Clear;Famed Aherlow’s splendour is rivalled I ween,

By Kiltinan’s wild grandeur, and fair flowing scene,Where the swollen spring flashes in Sol’s fiery beam

As onward it dashes to Anner’s bright stream.

How pleasant to ramble in summer’s rich bloom,‘Mid sweet briar and bramble and woodbine perfume!

While the glow of the rose lingers late in the West,And bee seeks repose on the flower he loves best;With no sound but the shiver of tall waving reeds,

And the song of the river as onward it speeds,Till the pale moonbeams glimmer as mingled the seemWith the rush and shimmer of Anner’s bright stream.

What memories olden it wakes in my breastOf an age that was golden, a land that was blest!Ere the dark cloud of slavery blighted each vale,Or the last shout of freedom had died on the gale.

Each crag has a story, a legend of gloom,Yet a bright wreath of glory for Liberty’s tomb;For in dim distant ages - ah, sad glories’theme,

Lived soldiers and sages by Anner’s bright stream.

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And by the old mountain lived maidens as bright,And pure as the fountain that flashed in the light,The eye with love beaming - the cheek all aglow,The golden hair gleaming - the bosom of snow,The youthfull heart beating - the old tender tale,The dear twilight meeting - the cool sylvan vale,

Oh where could you find such delightful daydream?To live and to love by the Anner’s bright stream.

Flow on, dear old Anner, by castle and cave,Till Erin’s green banner shall float o’er thy wave,

Till the harp’s welcome numbers o’er mountain and plain,Shall wake from the their slumbers the sons of Shee-faighin.

And in this free valley, its soil o’er my breast,Beneath the wild sally, how calm shall I rest!And sleep there for ever, my soothing requiem

Being the song of the river - by Anner’s bright stream.

Slievenamon

Tho’ Nature’s sweet smile, in our own little isle,Beams bright on every hill,

And her mystic spell, wraps every dellIn a mantle of beauty still.

Nor mountain or knoll, from pole to pole,Nor valley, nor velvet lawn,

Can ever compare with the beauties rare,My own old Slievenamon.

When the sunset rays, like a purple maze,Envelope the rugged scene,

And the summit glows like a gorgeous rose,A glory of gold and green;

Like a world of dreams, the landscape seems,While the vision lingers on,

And the eye is dazed, while the soul is raisedBy thy beauty, oh! Slievenamon.

What legends quaint of soldier and saintHave thy memories handed down

Of valour’s bright lance and beauty’s swift glance,And battle of old renown.

When armies arrayed have battled and prayedFor Liberty’s glorious dawn,

And the heat-clad caves were their homes and graves,Oh, famed old Slievenamon.

Dear homeland hill! whose beauties fillMy soul with a wondrous joy,

Thy sunlit slopes, like my own young hopes,Have cheered me from child to boy.

From boy to man, as I hurried and ran,Thy glories have ever shone,

Like the symbol of Love that watches aboveThy summits, oh! Slievenamon.

Another bright little poem entirelyguiltless of even the suspicion of treason,I found imprisoned in the same dustycell. I am not sure that it was written byCantwell, though copied on the samemanuscript. It may interest your readers,and, mayhap, identify the author.

A Game of Cards

While lost in an abyss of thought,Where ease sat scoffing at employment.

A maiden, fair and smiling, broughtA pack of cards for our enjoyment.

“What shall we play for” I enquired“For love, or fun, or golden treasure?”She said, “Of earthly goods I’m tired.

And, if you please, we’ll play for pleasure.”

“You play for me, I’ll play for you,And so we’ll play for one another,

Which makes it plain as two and two,That either one must win the other.”

My inmost heart o’erflowed with joy,Such lot ne’er fell to any sinner,Here is a chance, and I must try

By might and main if I can win her.

The cards were dealt, the game begun,And fickle fortune kind caressed her;

She played with spirit, played and won,As if the sprite of luck possessed her.

A single card was in her hand,Which was to test the final issue,

And she sat smiling, graceful, bland,While I was straining nerve and tissue.

“Have you not hearts?” she gaily cried;As deftly on the board she tossed it,“I have one heart,” I sadly cried,

“But, ah, alas! I long since lost it.”

And now, my friends, enjoy the fun,My heart’s one wish was to obtain her;

Tho’ I have lost, and she has won.I’d like you’d tell me who’s the gainer?

If I am hers, is she not mine,By bonds of fate and love united?

Thus, o’er a cup of ruby wine,A game of cards our vows has plighted.

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When publishing these poems Iwrote as follows: “By whom or whenthey were written I have no idea. Thewriter was evidently a Tipperary man,and from the neighbourhood of thestream and mountain that inspired them.They are not entirely original in thoughtor expression, but you will find through-out some bold imagery, a musical ring,and genuine poetical effect. If any ofthese poems was published before I shallbe glad to know of it. If I can discoverwho the writer was I shall be glad to keephis portrait with his manuscripts.”

Needless to say, my admiration wasincreased when I came to know of JohnCantwell. A few selections from othersof his poems, of which I had the goodfortune to obtain copies, will show yourreaders to what variety of subject hissympathetic mind turned itself.

As a Fethard man, he was naturallyproud of General Thomas Francis Burke- all Ireland may well be proud of him -to whose memory he wrote a stirring bal-lad. The very measure suggests the air towhich it must have been often sung onrace course and pattern in Tipperary. “Tothe memory of General Burke.”

With these may be classed his song to“My Dark Rosaleen”:

She reigns o’er my own Tipperary,Where valour and beauty hold sway.

A poem entitled “Resurgam,” “AComparison,” and verses to:

My Queen

Where the brooklet waters glistenIn the bosom of the dell,

And each lily-face lies mirrored in the streamMy queen.

We will hie away and listenTo the music of its swell,

While we revel in the rapture of a dream,My queen.

Where the blossom of the heatherTakes the dew, and nectar yields

And its perfume scents the valley with the furze,My queen.

We will lose ourselves togetherIn the maze of the fields

And the green and waving banners of the trees,My queen.

His remaining poems we can nomore than mention. The following are

General Burke(Born in Fethard, 1840; died in America, 1889.)

Heartbroken Erin, don thy garb of mourning,For a gallant soldier, who is now no more,

Whose pure soul, wearied with life’s sojourning,Has winged its flight to the spirit shore.

Sleep on in peace through all future ages,May the sod press lightly on thy noble breast,

Though at home in Ireland a wild warfare rages,In a far country thou hast found thy rest.

The “wild warfare” to which hereferred, the bitter agrarian troubles sographically described in Kickham’s nov-els, were sung by Cantwell in his:

Cot by the Mountain

The happy bright days I remember so well,That I spent ‘mid my own native heather;

The cool, pleasant paths and the soft, dewy dellWhere my Mary and I lived together.

What dancing and merriment, laughter and funWas ours when the busy day’s labour was done,

When the lads and the lasses dropped in one by one,To the dear little cot by the mountain.

All these joys are now past, yet each soft summer eve,As the sun lingers late in its glory,

I revisit the scenes of my childhood and grieve,O’er the thoughts of its sad, bitter story.

Its ruined old walls are so dreary and lone,As I gaze and remember, I sigh and I moan,

Yet the ivy clings lovingly, shielding each stoneOf my own dear old cot by the mountain.

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some of the suggestive titles: “To aFriend in America,” “The Convent Bell,”“Memories,” “The Christmas Bells,”“Lines Written an Album.” Two that arerather unfinished show a tinge ofromance which reflects new beauty on acharacter strongly marked by a broadsympathy and warm affection. “TwoFlowers” inspired these lines, thethoughts of which are repeated in verses.

Flower, once so beautiful,Pressed in my book,Symbol inscrutableBorn by the brook.

Hundreds had passed youWhile crossing the lea,

Till one so tenderlyGave you to me.

Oh, she was beautiful,Oh, she was kind,Tender and dutiful

Lofty of mind.

I cannot better close this meagresketch of the life and writings of JohnCantwell than by expressing a wish to seehis unpublished poems in a future numberof your Annual. If I were a Tipperary manI should be sorry to see a single verse ofthe rudest ballad perish while so excellenta means exists for preserving songs thatare never sung in vain. If we youngerpeople did but stay to think we shouldrecognise that seldom an old man or oldwoman is borne to the graveyard that asweet song, or quaint legend, or fund ofIrish history is not lost forever.

When one of our own inherits theancient bardic spirit, and having blownhis trumpet calls, alas! too few, to a gen-eration that sorely needs arousing, iscalled away, Ireland is the poorer. But ifshe forgets his words and his memory sheis ungrateful, and this is why JohnCantwell should be remembered inTipperary.

Pictured at the unveiling of a plaque in the Abymill Theatre to mark the centenary of the death ofpoet John Cantwell, Market Hill are L to R: Alice Quinn (relative), Michael Coady, who unveiledthe plaque, Frances Long, a relative who read some of Cantwell’s poems at the event, and Terry

Cunningham, vice-chairman Fethard Historical Society. The commemoration, organised byFethard Historical Society, took place on Wednesday 2nd December 1998, exactly one hundred

years after John Cantwell died at the young age of twenty-eight.

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The Theatre was busy and activeright from the late autumn to the

summer of 1998. Autumn/Winter of1997 saw the staging of Brian Friel’s‘The Loves of Cass Maguire’ which wasfollowed by transition year of PatricianPresentation Secondary School with‘Godspell’. The spring saw the arrivaland renaissance of the Hogan MusicalSociety with a week long run of ‘MagicMoments’ – a variety show scripted andproduced by Marian Gilpin.

The Nano Nagle Primary school hadtheir summer show involving a massiveeffort by the entire school and staff, andof course Majella Hewitt-Forte presentedthe annual ‘On Your Toes’ show there inJune. Maeve Carey and friends paid areturn visit to Abymill. Maeve, fromClonmel, is now studying in Manchesterto further her music career.

A once-off event last December was,of course, Lord Andrew Lloyd-Webber,in a unique evening where he was inter-viewed and played prominent numbersfrom his hit shows. Our Bingo patrons ofThursday night helped us to celebrate the10th anniversary of the opening of the

Abymill last May, and still continue togive their undivided support everyThursday night for bingo.

Updated lighting, and a paintworkfacelift have been given to the theatre inthe past year, and of course for generalcare Christy Mullins and ElizabethSheehan do the honours.

Hopefully the 1999 season will be asvibrant as the last and that the walls ofAbymill will resound to the voice ofyoung, not so young and not-so-oldalike. Austie O’Flynn’s production of‘Wanted One Body’ will be the first showto kickoff the Autumn/Winter season andthis will be shortly followed in earlyDecember by Opera Theatre Company’sproduction of ‘The Four Note Opera’.

Board of Directors for 1998-’99 are:Chairperson Michael McCarthy;Secretary Marian Gilpin; TreasurerAgnes Evans; Administrator AustieO’Flynn. Committee members: CarmelRice, Eileen Maher, Joe Kenny, JimmyO’Shea, Noelle O’Dwyer, BernardWalsh and Mary McCormack.

Seasons Greetings to all our friendsand patrons.

Abymill — The Mill (Fethard) Ltd.

Fethard Bridge ClubBridge is without question the

most stimulating card game everinvented. No equipment is neededbeyond a table and a pack of cards. It canbe played by anyone, at any time, in anyplace, and the vagaries of the Irish cli-mate itself do nothing to diminish itspleasures. It is played by over 100 mil-lion people in fifty different countriesaround the world. The marvel is not thatso many millions play bridge already, butthat so many others do not!

Accordingly, it is no surprise thatFethard Bridge Club continues to flour-ish and we have over sixty membersagain this year. The senior club plays inthe Tirry Centre on Wednesday nighteach week and the junior club onMonday nights.

It is with a deep sense of sadness thatwe note the death in the last year of twoof our long standing members — MonKenny and Dick Gorey. Mon was one ofthe founder members of the club and

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from the beginning developed a deeplove of the game which endured up to theend. Although she was unable to attend theWednesday night games in the monthsbefore her death she looked forward onThursdays to getting a detailed account ofthe various types of hands which weredealt the previous evening and lost no timein pointing out how they should or couldhave been played! Dick was our incomingpresident for the year and his death wasquite unexpected. Dick has been playingbridge for over twenty years and was pop-ular with old and new members alike. Hewas always in good humour and was verypatient with and encouraging to the newmembers who joined in the past couple ofyears. He had been looking forward to histerm as president of the club and hadalready mentioned his plans for his presi-dent’s dinner for next year. Both Mon andDick will be sorely missed by all.

This year’s president’s dinner washeld in J’s restaurant on 20th May 1998and the President’s Prize winners were

Betty Walsh and Bridget Gorey. The win-ner of the William O’Flynn ‘Player of theYear’ trophy was Frances Burke and theCommittee Prize went to Alice Quinnand Teresa Cummins who were also win-ners of the Kitty Hayes ClubChampionship trophy. As the Newslettergoes to print preparations are afoot forour Christmas party on 16th December atwhich our Christmas prizes will be pre-sented. At our AGM on 27th May 1998the following officers and committeewere elected: President: Dick Gorey(RIP), Vice President: Berney Myles,Secretary: Gemma Burke, Treasurer:Cinta O’Flynn, Assistant Treasurer:Mary Quirke, PRO: Brendan Kenny;Rita Kane, Alice Quinn, MargaretHackett, Frances Burke, KathleenKenny, Betty Walsh, Breda O’Shea,Maureen Maher, and Michael Kenny.

May we take this opportunity to wishall bridge players (and non-bridge play-ers!) at home and abroad a very happyand holy Christmas.

1998 President’s Prize winners Betty Walsh and her mother Bridget Gorey pictured with Club President Frances Burke (centre).

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The following officers were elect-ed at the 1998 AGM of St. Rita’s

Camogie Club; President Rev. James CanonPower, P.P.; Chairman: Joe Keane; Vice-Chairperson: Jennifer Keane; Secretary:Norah O'Meara; Treasurers: Sharon Lawton& Norah O'Meara. Committee: DenisO'Meara, Tossie Lawton, Martha Sheehan,Mary Ryan, Jean Morrissey, AidanFitzgerald, Michael O'Dwyer, AislingO'Riordan and Edel Fitzgerald.

This year we entered teams in under-16, under-18, and junior championships.In the junior championship Fethard lostto Moycarkey in a very close game. Wedrew with Toomevara and we beatBournea. Unfortunately, in the under-16championship we were unable to field afull team and we withdrew from thecompetition. We are still in contentionfor the under-18 championship. Thiscompetition always commences very latein the year. The first game was inOctober where Fethard was at home toBallingarry/Drangan. We lost by 3points. Our next game is away toBorrisoleigh on Sunday Nov. 1st. Thefollowing players represented the Club

during the year: Jean Morrissey, AislingO'Riordan, Edel Fitzgerald, SharonLawton, Norah O'Meara, Jennifer Keane,Fiona Conway, Audrey Conway, NiamhSheehan, Mia Treacy, Olivia Phelan,Vanessa O'Donnell, Sandra Maher,Bernadette O'Meara, Bernie Horan,Sandra Wade, Mary Ryan, MarieHolohan, Majella Croke, ElaineWilliams, Jennifer Frewen and JulieanneSmyth.

The club ran a Youth TrainingProgramme, under the guidance ofJennifer Keane, which proved very suc-cessful with 30 participants. Since thisprogramme was so successful, Fethardwill now be able to enter a team in theunder 12 championship in 1999.

Congratulations to two of our play-ers, Mary Ryan and Sandra Wade, whoboth got married during the year. Theclub would also like to thank DenisO'Meara for his commitment to trainingand anybody else who helped in any way.The club would be very glad to receiveany unwanted hurleys or helmets thatyou may have. New members of all agesare always welcome to join.

St. Rita’s Camogie Club

Pictured at this year’s GAA Dinner Dance are L to R: Pat O’Donnell, Gus Fitzgerald, Paddy O’Flynn, Percy O’Flynn, Michael McCarthy and Gerry Fogarty.

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This summer the Tour de Francestarted in Ireland and on the 13th

of July a stage passed through Carrick-on-Suir. My family and I went down tosee it and because of the crowds, we hadto park on the Clonmel side of Carrick-on-Suir. I decided that the best perch toview the race was the hairpin bend on thehill about three miles outside Carrick. Noneed to tell you that this decision of minewas met with a very hostile reception, somy family parted for Carrick town andleft me, “that old lunatic”, to hike the hill.

Fair play to my youngest lad whostuck by me and accompanied me on the

hike. I soon discovered there wasmethod in his madness, as his loyalty hadto be paid for with a large bag ofCadbury’s and a bottle of Finches. Wearrived at the bend about 10am and at11am the commercial part of the racestarted to pass, everything from Coca-Cola to Good Year Tyres had been adver-tised and it was very entertaining.

The spectacular race itself arrived at12 noon, helicopters hovered overhead,the French police on motor bikes escort-ed the race, the pelathon was closelybunched and passed in a flash to a hugeroar from the large crowd. It was all very

Tour de Fiodh Ard

Altar Boys photographed in the Abbey in the late 1950’s. Back L to R: Michael Nevin, MichaelKenny, Michael Cummins, Richard Burke, Don O’Connell. Front L to R: John Joe Keane, Jimmy

Hayes, Gerry O’Riordan, Philip Dillon and A.B. Kennedy.

by Paddy Ahearne

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exciting but over in a matter of minutes.While waiting for the race my thoughtswent back to a midsummer day in themid sixties to the Tour de Fiodh Ard.You may well ask, “what’s that”, but ifyou’re at the half-century mark, age-wisethat is, I’ll soon refresh your memory.

Back then when we were young andfull of life, our summer job was bulbpicking. There was a nice few quid to bemade which was used to tog out familiesgoing back to school. In those timesbikes were the main mode of transport.Prior to the bulb picking season bikeswere begged and borrowed from allquarters — aunts, uncles, grandparentsand friends — and were used to transportthe army of workers to Annsgift.

As you can imagine, bikes in thosedays were not exactly the Rolls Roycetype and a lot of repairs had to be carriedout on them before the job started. Moneybeing a scarce commodity only a few par-ents could afford the professional servicesof Paddy Heffernan who could repair anybike properly.

Paddy never failed to amaze us hisskill at turning a bike upside down on toits saddle and handlebars in one swiftmanoeuvre. Paddy, though small instature, had enormous strength in hishands as he could gut a tube from a wheelin seconds. One thing I can rememberabout Paddy’s bike store — it had onlyone window which was just as wellbecause with the hurling that went oninside he would not have a window any-way. For those of us who did not enlistPaddy’s services our old fellows came tothe rescue as most of these “HandyAndy’s” fancied themselves as bikemechanics. They went about the job ofrepairing with great enthusiasm andendured lost tempers, skinned knuckles,cut hands, oil on the floor of the kitchen

and because of a lack of proper tools,every spoon, knife and fork in the housewere bent. By the time the bike was fixedthe only way you could feed yourself wasto aim for your ear, then you may have achance of getting the food in your mouth.Now with the bikes back under us, over toTommy Hogan, “Scully’s”, or a can of 3-in-1 oil which was lavishly squeezed intoevery moving part of the bike until itpurred like a cat.

After a few test runs all is ‘A-1’. Thelast final adjustment which we did our-selves, brake blocks well back from thewheel rim. The big day at last arrived andat 7.30 on a beautiful sunny morning astring of cyclists could be seen along theroad. There was every imaginable con-traption of a bike. The day passed fastpicking the bulbs and the talk all day wasabout the race home that evening. Thestart was the entrance to Annsgift and thewinning post was the 30 mile sign near thepitch and toss school on the Cashel road.

A problem arose about extra weightfor some participants in the form ofyounger brother to be carried home; thisextra weight had to shed. So the unwant-ed pillion passenger was first ordered towalk, failing that, he was threatened,then bribery took over and this usuallyworked. At the start, somebody shouts,“GO”. The movement at first is slow. Allis orderly on the straight after Annsgift.We pass Jack McCormack, all wellbunched together passing Mick Bough’sand Molly Carey’s, and around the bendsleaving Packie Hanley’s to the left andJackie White’s to the right. Things warmup a bit as we hit for Flynns ofGlenagaddy, Monroe to the left andBrodeen to the right.

Hearts are pumping fast as we sweeppast John Holloway’s and Dan Ryan’s.Now we are really racing as break after

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break takes place on the straight at MickCoen’s. Now into the slight climbbetween Jim Boy Danaher’s and BobGrace’s. It was vital that you hold a goodprominent position at this stage, as thiswas the last climb. From there on in itwas down hill. On reaching the summitbetween Paddy Murphy’s and PhilByrne’s, only a handfull are tailed off,from now on it is every man for himselfand God for us all. Breath deeply drawnand pumping pedals for all your worth.The pelathon speeds down past MrsConnolly’s, next past Mrs Casey’s andinto the dip and up into the brow at therailway bridge. A last look around thelandscape, as it’s heads and bodiesdown, unable to keep pace with thepedals we free wheel down the railwayhill at break neck speed. Now 3-in-1 oilpays off as inches were gained on thoseless lubricated.

At the bottom of the railway hill, wefill the width of the road. It’s like theCharge of the Light Brigade. Peddlingfor all our worth it’s wheel for wheel,pedal for pedal — nobody getting theupper hand — ‘effing’ and ‘blinding’ bythose behind seeking a way through —but nobody is yielding. Past FrankCassells and Jim Fergus and the win-ning post fast approaching, the frustra-tion of those behind was being ventedin very bad language. A Tinker’sRosary was recited at its loudest.

Suddenly somebody shouts “GuardFallon! Guard Fallon! Guard Fallon!”Guard Fallon sounds like the responseto the ‘tinker’s rosary’ as the word ofwarning was passed back the ranks. Onraising my head from the front wheel,my God, there’s Mick Fallen, standingwith his hand up shouting, “Stop!” He’staking up half the road, the wall ofbikes bearing down on him at a mile a

minute. Realising the danger and toolate to run to the side, Mick turns side-ways, now at least he’s only coveringone third of the road. Those of us whohad brakes pulled hard and even to thisday nobody has invented the instantstop brake. The lads with no brakes (themajority) stuck their hard-nail boots tothe road. The ABS brake system, wherethe brakes lock on and off intermittent-ly stopping the car in a straight line, ismuch talked about today. Well,unknown to us, we had that systemdown to a tee. The lad with theWellingtons would stick the Wellingtonto the road just in front of him, and asthe bike passed, lift it fast. Thismanoeuvre was repeated over and over,bringing the bike to a stop. If theWellington stuck to the road, it was cur-tains. Back to Mick on the road, facingdeath by bicycle squad. We swept byhis toes and heels. It was total mayhemtrying to avoid him; to this day I’llnever know how he escaped. Not onebike was able to stop; most of us wereat the cross before we stopped.

Looking back the road, we couldsee Mick emerging from a cloud ofdust, smouldering rubber and smeltingsteel. We knew that we were in deeptrouble. As you all know the “GardaBlue Flu” nearly disrupted the Tour deFrance, but Mick did not suffer fromthe blue flu, but from a blue fit at whathad happened. It crossed our minds torun for it, but it was better to face themusic and listen to Mick’s harp. Mick’stune was short and sweet, “Ye may besuffering from saddle sores, but if Icatch ye again, racing, it will be bootleather sores”.

So ends the tour de Fiodh Ard, Sin ésuás ar mo rothar agus go raibh on both-er leigh slán.

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Visitors to Fethard this year

Joe O’Donnell, Dublin John and Anne Maher, North Carolina Mary Duncan, S. Africa

Rena Staunton, London Tony Newport and Peter O’Connell Ron Sheedy, Brisbane

L to R: Tom Shine, Chrissy (Sayers) Cummins, Rita Walsh, Pat Shine, Rita (Sayers) Kelly.

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After a sickly and miserable bitchof a boat journey on the Princess

Maud, I boarded the train at Holyheadfor Birmingham, a hell of a journey atanytime of year. I found an empty car-riage hoping for a stretch and lie-me-down alone. I had been home forChristmas.

Before I made myself comfortable Idecided to look out the window.Travellers, Irish emigrants mostly, werepacking in on their journeys to variousparts of Britain. A deep baritone voicewas rendering, “If we only had oldIreland over here” from a carriage waydown and closer by a tin whistler playingthe wonderful soul-reaching refrain of“Eileen Aroon”. Just imagine such amajestic piece from the 13th centurycomposed by Carol O’Daly to win overthe fair Eileen Kavanagh. In it Irelandcries for her lost liberties and for hermartyrs and now in the fifties Irelandmourns her emigrants while govern-ments seek election with promises tostem the flow from the land. “Trapezestunters, slack wire walkers, dumb-belles, them pontificating politicians”,old FAVEY from back home wouldheckle, “aren’t they a circus all to them-selves, what would them fellows knowabout emigration”. The platform soonbecame a cold isolated stage except for acouple or so, one a strange looking char-acter in a black Anthony Eden hat andlong dark overcoat who sauntered up anddown the platform looking into eachcompartment and muttering at intervals.Was he an M.P., a professor perhaps? Hereminded me of a brother who taught usin primary school known as “The GawkMaguire”. This stranger resembled him,

big black eyebrows that spiked out likeporcupines. The Gawk will never be deadI said to myself. The other character onthe platform was an Irishman, stockybuilt with a mop of lustrous black hairmatched with flashing dark eyes that hada friendly roguish look about them. Hewas policed by two porters advising himthat the train was about to pull out. Hispaper bag with a compliment of largeporter bottles was beginning to fraywhich necessitated him putting the bot-tles into the pockets of every garment hewas wearing which he did slowly andcarefully to the annoyance of bothporters.

“Oirish again”, muttered one porterto the other. Producing two crubeensfrom the remnants of the torn bag heoffered them to the porters as a gesture ofgood will for their patience which theydeclined with sarcastic smirks. “Fairenough”, said the Irishman stating thatthey had a hungry look about them as hedumped the crubeens in a refuse bin. Ashe staggered into the train well laden andwhat seemed to be a statue wrapped innewspaper under his arm with the basesticking out and got my curiosity going.Was it religious, maybe one of St. Patrickto honour him for driving all the snakesout of Ireland or was it some Irish patriotwho fought for Ireland’s freedom?

The train began its hooting for thetake-off. I took refuge in the fact that Ihad a carriage to myself. This was not tobe. The strange looking character bestknown to me as “The Gawk” enteredquite casually. He nodded to me. Forages on end not a word crossed betweenus. Cautiously and out of the corner ofmy eye I could see him, head down,

Back to Britain on the Mail Traina short story by Jimmy O’Donnell

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twirling one thumb over the other but atthe same time quizzically staring at myhold-all carrier bag which contained somesods of turf and thatching scollops for adrama project. After a long spell our eyesmet head-on. He smiled rather falsely andsnapping his fingers, “Yes”, he said,“Korea, the Korean War, I knew it, IrishFusiliers, that’swhere we met”. “Iwouldn’t say so”, Isaid. Casually Isaid, “The onlyFusiliers I soldieredwith wereMcAlpines”. I wasabout to bat an eyeat last. “Youremember Korea,don’t you”, his voicecoming at me sud-denly and scornful-ly. “Terrible, awful”,I said placatingly,“bloody awful”. “Iknew you werethere”, he quaveredgiving a frenziedstare at my hold-allbag. Soon he washuddled up, eyesclosed.

Hours on, thetrain was slowingdown at the platformfor London boundpassengers to change at Crewe. As he wasabout to shunt off on the London train heput his hand on my shoulders, “I’m SecretService, your hold-all bag”? I began togrin. Reaching into the bag he removedone sod of turf. “Sod it”, he said, “neverknew you grew tobacco in the old coun-try”. “And hazel scallops” I said.“Scallops for what”, he snapped. “Pipe

cleaners”, I answered. Then closing oneeye he said reminiscently “It could havebeen”. “Could have been what, I asked”.“A statue of Her Majesty Queen Victoria Igot in Korea that I mislaid on the damnboat from Dublin, and for sentimental rea-sons reminded me of my dear late wife’sfeatures now in some dirty rats posses-

sion”, he grated in anangry Oxford accent.“Now” I said “we’vemet. Crewe notKorea”. He noddedto me and continuedas before to nod spas-modically along theplatform. He wassoon lost in the midstof the crowds.

The train beganits final clicketyclack toBirmingham. Greatmusic was comingfrom a carriage upthe way. I made myway up to the ses-sion. A dozen or solads and lassies werehaving a mightycraic. One of thelassies offered me asandwich of smokedbacon with a “failteand hospitalityinducing fresh

acquaintance” to the banjo rhythms of“The Galway Races”. A few more enteredthe carriage and among them was noneother than your man laden down withlarge bottles and the famous statue underhis arm. “Dia Dhiobh,” he shouted. “AhTommy,” came a reply, “you lost us”.With that Tommy broke into song, “TheRocks of Bawn” and finally lilting “On

Jimmy with ‘Queen Vistoria’ in Birmingham

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Rogha Fhile” (The Poets Choice) tocheers “Dia go deo leat” Dorney.

We soon reached Birmingham. Themusic and song shortened the journey. Iwas heading for the Lickey Hills. Tommywas going in the same direction toSellyoak. “I’ll be part of the way withyou”, he said, while he muffled himself upagainst the cold December morning. Thestatue he had held onto for hours on endslipped his grip, fell and broke intosmithereens. “God blast”, he shouted,“couldn’t have luck”. Shoving the brokenpieces in hot displeasure against the pave-ment he went on to say he found it on theboat, the ugliest piece of sculpture of awoman, with a face on it that would turnmilk sour in a churn. “Twas a prize bit in

one way”, he said, “it reminded me of mylandlady, a gay gamey spark who wantsme to be her Cock Lodger. I wanted to putit in my room as a distraction for me tokeep the landlady at arm’s length.” ThenI realised this was the statue of QueenVictoria that the self styled secret agenthad mislaid. I had only partly related thefull story to Tommy when we reached thetram terminus. Sellyoak tram whichTommy boarded was about to take off.“Meet me Tuesday at nine in the BlackHorse”, he shouted from the platform. TheLickey Hills tram soon followed jogglingits way along the Bristol Road,Longbridge, the home of the Austin MotorWorks where I was employed in the costaccounts offices.

Fethard & Killusty Community Games

After a spell of 13 years it wasgreat to find a change at ‘the top

table’. The long-suffering Peggy Colvilleresigned as secretary at the 1998 A.G.M.and was replaced by the capable M.C.Maher, Dun Aobhinn. The Fethard areagenerally had a wonderful year partici-pating in art, athletics, camogie, judo,U/10 mixed football, modelmaking,swimming, soccer and girls volleyball.

Twenty qualified for the county artfinals held in Carrick-on-Suir and CathalMaher won a gold medal for the secondsuccessive year. Emmet Burke, Redcity,won a bronze medal. In the U/10 model-making Alan O’Connor, St. PatricksPlace, won gold and David Gorey, MainStreet, won silver.

A mixed group travelled to Roscreato contest the county athletics finals. Wehad two gold medallists: John Noonan,St. Patrick’s Place, won U/16 100 metersand Eoin Sullivan, Barrettstown, wonU/16 1500 meters. Stephanie Lawrence,

Woodvale Walk won bronze in U/10 100meters race. Aoife & Ciara O’Keeffe,Ballybough, and Richard Gorey,Moanbeg, enjoyed competing in thecounty swimming finals in TipperaryTown. From the individual events,Cathal, Alan, John & Eoin all went toMosney to the National Finals.

In Judo (an individual event withprovincial elimination) the gold medal-lists from the county finals in Clonmelwere: Ciarán O’Shea, Richard, Roy &Tony Gorey, Stephanie Lawrence andCiara Hickey, Killusty. These youngpeople all contested the Munster Finalsin University of Limerick where RichardGorey, Moanbeg, Roy Gorey, Redcity,and Ciarán O’Shea, Main Street, all wonGold and qualified for National Finals.However it was hard luck on Ciarán whosuffered an injury and was unable to trav-el to Mosney but Roy brought home agold medal and Richard a silver.

Our Camogie Team won silver

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medals having been defeated by St.Flannan’s, Dunkerrin, in the county finalplayed at The Ragg. Team memberswere: Ursula Lawrence, StephanieFitzgerald, Vanessa O’Donnell, TraceyLawrence, Stephanie Walsh, MargaretSmyth, Kate Maher, Melissa Breen,Laura Burke, Lucy O’Hara, SusieHarvey, Melissa Rochford, Donna Ryan,Emma Walsh, Tracy Burke, StephanieLawrence, Aoife O’Meara, Stacey Grace& Susanna Gorey. Mentors: DenisO’Meara, Tossie Lawton, Joe & JenniferKeane.

The U/10 mixed football team was

defeated by Carrick-on- Suir in the pre-liminary rounds. Carrick then went on towin gold medals at the National Finals,so the Fethard boys had strong opposi-tion and were beaten by the nationalchampions. The team consisted of:Edmund Sheehan (captain), Jason &Adrian Lawrence, Christopher & TomSheehan, Liam & Ciarán Ryan, JamesKelly, Aaron O’Donovan, PatrickHolohan, David Lee, Eoin Condon, AlanO’Connor, Cathal Gorey and CraigPollard. Mentors: Tommy Sheehan andMichael O’Dwyer.

The boys’ U/12 soccer team had a

Athletes from Fethard pictured at the County Community Games Finals at Roscrea this year. Front L to R:Sarah Gleeson, Ciara O’Keeffe and Tim Gleeson. Middle L to R: Danielle Lawrence, Stephanie Lawrence

David Sullivan and Aoife O’Keeffe. Back L to R: Brian Sullivan, John Noonan and Eoin Sullivan.

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great run and reached the county semifi-nal where they were beaten by Nenagh.They were a very young team and bene-fited from the experience for next year.Team: Peter Gough, Paul Kenrick,Edward Sheehan, Glen O’Meara, KeithLawrence, Brian and David Conway,Eoin Delahunty, James Curran, DamienShine, David Prout, Connie O’Flynn,Damien Sharpe, James Smyth andWilliam O’Brien. Mentors: Ian Goughand Michael Kenrick.

The girls U/16 volleyball team wonthe County Final in Thurles defeatingRoscrea but were beaten byLisdoonvarna, Co. Clare, in the MunsterFinal. The team consisted of: Mary Lee,Caroline Croke, Patrice Tobin,Julieanne Smyth, Eimear Gahan, LisaO’Donnell, Siobhán White, FionaMaher, Majella Croke, Jennifer Frewen,Marion Harrington and VanessaO’Donnell. Team coaches BernieO’Connor and Denis Burke assisted byJennifer Keane acted as referee at theMunster Finals.

In our sponsored tennis singlesevent, organised by Patsy Lawrence, forgirls and boys. Seamus Dineen, aFethard man who resides in USA, pre-sented the winners with the SeamusDineen Perpetual Trophies. This year’saward-winners were: First Girl: VanessaO’Donnell. Monroe. Runner-up:Barbara Ryan, Moyglass. First Boy:Peter Kenny, The Green. Runner-up:Nicky Noonan, St. Patricks Place.

The ‘Coolmore 4x100 meter OpenMixed Relay Cup’ was won by ‘TheNike All Stars’ — Yvonne Rice, EoinMaher, Eoin Sullivan and DavidO’Meara. The presentation was madeby Agnes Evans, representing CoolmoreStud. The Pat Ryan Memorial Cup waswon by the same team and the presenta-

tion was made by Mrs. Nellie Ryan.The Irish Permanent U/13 Mixed RelayTrophy was won by the ‘Bullets’ - CarolMurphy, David Sullivan, KillianCannon and Harry Sherman.

The committee would like to thankall our sponsors, those who contributedto Church Gate Collection and all thosewho helped in any way. They would liketo see a bigger attendance at the 1999A.G.M. and take this opportunity to wisheverybody a Happy Christmas andPeaceful New Year.

Current Officers: Rev. Canon JamesPower P.P. (president); Joe Keane(chairman). M.C. Maher (secretary);Joe Keane / Peggy Colville (joint trea-surers), Martin O’Connor (developmentofficer), Denis Burke, (games director).The P.R.O. is Peggy Colville. MichaelFitzgerald is our county board delegateand M.C. Maher is our delegate to com-pany. Committee: Michael O’Dwyer,Michael O’Hagan and MicheálMcCormack.

Larry Fahey, The Green, died on 6th March 1988, aged 75

Remember Larry

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As the GAA season comes to aclose our hurlers and footballers

are still in the shake up of three SouthTipperary championships. Our interme-diate hurling team will play Silverminesin the county quarterfinal championship.Our senior footballers were beaten in thesouth by eventual county championsMoyle Rovers. At the present timeFethard senior team are preparing for aspecial Munster Club League. They willplay at home to Castleisland Desmondsin November and away to Clonakilty inearly December and then home to NemoRangers in January.

Earlier this year we entered theKilmacud Crokes seven-a-side AllIreland Tournament – going out to Fr.Manning Gaels of Longford. Our U/21hurlers and footballers had no joy in thechampionship, the minor teams likewise.

Ballybacon Grange beat the intermediatehurling team in the South Final. Thejunior ‘B’ hurlers are in the south semifi-nal against Kilsheelan and our junior ‘A’footballers will play Moyle Rovers. Our‘B’ selection take on Fr. Sheehy’s in thesouth final.

On the social scene, we held our din-ner dance in Cashel where we gave ourteams their winning medals of the previ-ous year. Joe Fogarty was our specialguest as the recipient of the “FethardPerson of the Past” award.

A special committee headed by chair-man Sean Moloney organised a functionin the Ballroom to honour winning coun-ty teams of the 1940’s, 50’s, 60’s and70’s.. The function was well attended.Congratulations to all concerned.

The Coolmore sponsored electronicscore board looks very effective standing

Fethard Senior GAA Club

Sean Moloney, chairman Fethard GAA club, pictured above after presenting Joey Fogarty, CongressTerrace, Fethard, with the ‘Player of the Past’ award at the club’s annual dinner dance held in Kearney’s

Castle Hotel, Cashel, last Saturday night. L to R: Joey Fogarty, Sean Moloney and Leish Fogarty.

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inside the gate. Fethard were the first venuein the county to have this facility, thanks toCoolmore. The Sports Centre is beinglooked after by a sub committee chaired byWaltie Moloney. The GAAPark is now set-tling well - the water is gone.

Congratulations to Tommy Sheehan,Willie Morrissey and Damian Byrne whoplayed on the Tipperary Junior Footballteam that won the All Ireland JuniorChampionship this year. Congratulationsalso to Brian Burke who captainedTipperary senior Football team in their

unsuccessful bid for Munster honoursagainst Kerry in the final played at Thurles.Michael Ryan captained the TipperaryJunior hurlers in their unsuccessful bid tolift the honours against Limerick in theirMunster Final played in Limerick.

Officers elected for the year wereChairman: Sean Moloney, Hon Sec &PRO: Miceál McCormack, Hon Tres:Nicholas O’Shea, Senior Football Trainer:Waltie Moloney.

Happy Christmas to all our emigrantsfrom the people in ‘Blue’.

Pictured earlier this year at a function in the Ballroom honouring the winning county teams of the 1940’s,50’s, 60’s and 70’s era are L to R: Liam O’Flaherty, Tim O’Riordan, Paddy O’Flynn and Paddy Tierney.

Blame the NormansLast Christmas while looking for a

book to help pass the holidayperiod, I came across a volume entitled‘Twilight of the Ascendancy’ by MarkBence-Jones in a bookshop here inPlymouth. The author, himself a memberof the Ascendancy, traces the decline ofthat social class from about 1870, whenthe Home Rule Movement began to gath-er momentum, until the present time.

Several of the personalities described

in the book have Tipperary connectionsand figure quite prominently in its pages.As I read it memories of childhood camesurging back. I once again picturedscenes such as the opening meet of theTipperary Foxhounds and my earsresounded once again to the loud brayingaccents of that class which had held forme a strange fascination and whoselifestyle and odd position in Irish societycontinue to intrigue me. I recalled also

by Tommy Healy

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tales my mother told me of being in ser-vice in Grove and her descriptions of themany visitors who came there to stay.

The book is copiously illustratedwith photographs, some dating back overa century and several feature local per-sonalities of the recent past. Miss JoanGrubb is pictured sitting astride a horse.She was one of the first women to aban-don side-saddle for the safer, more com-fortable astride position. As a result shewas branded a ‘fast woman’ and viewedwith suspicion by her peers. In later life,the author notes, the same lady, by nowthe twice widowed Mrs. de Salles LaTerriere had taken to dressing as a manand last year’s Newsletter features a pho-tograph of her so attired.

Mrs La Terriere’s first husband hadperished in the Great War and she herselfhad driven ambulances for the Red Crosson the Western Front. She once showedme a collection of shell cases she hadacquired while in France and coulddescribe each in minute detail. I recallhow she had attempted to pick up a frag-ment of shell as a souvenir and hadburned her fingers (literally) because the

object was still hot.Her second husband, the Frenchman

La Terriere, had a penchant for fast carsand his passage through any town wasguaranteed to send residents scurrying inall directions to get out of his way. Myfather told me that despite all LaTerriere’s apparent recklessness, his onlyvictim was a hen too slow to avoid him.

In Mrs La Terriere’s later years I usedto give her some trout I had caught atKiltinan and I found her a most fascinat-ing character. Her only son, Rory, hadbeen killed in 1944 in the closing stagesof the Second World War but she retainedher cheerful approach to life despite whatit had handed out to her.

Captain Barton at Grove receivesmention as being wholly intimidated bythe telephone which had been installedsome time before his death in the 1950s.He was known not to touch it and to relyon his housekeeper, Bridget Power, tohandle his calls. Bridget was a witness atmy parents’ wedding in 1942 and mygodmother. She had spent her whole lifein service, was a most accomplishedcook and survived as the last major ser-

Grove House, Fethard, c.1900

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vant at Grove. She retired in the early1960s when she was well over 70. As abirthday present she gave me fiveshillings, a huge sum in terms of herwages, a fact I did not fully appreciateuntil many years later.

The Donaghmores and the De LaPoers are mentioned in several chaptersand their role in the late 19th and early20th century Irish social scene isdescribed at some length. The Ponsonbysof Kilcooley receive much coverage andmention is made of the career of the lateGeorge Ponsonby. Some years ago whileat home on holiday, I read a book entitled‘Kilcooley and its Abbey’ by WilliamNeely, a clergyman of the Church ofIreland. In it he traces the origins of theProtestant inhabitants of that region.Most of those who settled in the areawere of German origin, refugees fromthe Palatinate on the Rhine who had been

driven out by Louis XIV in the late 17thcentury. One such family, theSchweitzers, became in time the Switzersone of whose number founded the Dublindepartment store of that name. However,a name which caught my attention wasthat of Dulmoge, corrupted to Dulmageand finally to Delmege. The Delmegesmentioned by Bence-Jones were, I pre-sume, a branch of the PalatineProtestants who had come to Kilcooleyin the reign of Louis XIV. In ‘Twilight ofthe Ascendancy’ social events it chroni-cles that set in the period of its most rapiddecline. Just as the group had its heydayduring that period when the old IrishParliament (Grattan’s Parliament) assert-ed its independence of Britain, its declinefollowed the Act of Union of 1801. Thisdecline was not inevitable for if theUnion had been a benefit to all sectionsof Irish society the class which had

Mrs La Terriere (centre) and friends photographed in Kiltinan

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embraced it so enthusiastically wouldhave captured much of the credit. Thefact that this arrangement did not workout to the benefit of the majority andresulted in time in the campaigns first forHome Rule and later a clean break fromthe United Kingdom meant that the mainprotagonists of the Union, theAscendancy, would be the losers if thatmovement succeeded. Long before JohnRedmond began to push for Home Rule,measures to address the evils of land-lordism had struck a heavy blow at theAscendancy’s economic base. The eventsof 1912-22 merely put the political finaltouches to what land purchase hadbegun.

Who were the Ascendancy? Theywere not a homogeneous group butrather a mixed bunch. The oldestAscendancy families traced their originsback to the Norman Invasion of 1169when the only English Pope Adrian IVgenerously gave Henry II the right to ruleIreland. The Butlers, Earls of Ormond,can trace their roots back to this time.Others arrived during the land confisca-tions of the Catholic Queen Mary and herProtestant half-sister Elizabeth and theUlster Plantation after 1609. The last sig-nificant arrivals were the psalm-chantingPuritan gangsters who fundedCromwell’s side in the English Civil Warand received their pay in Irish land.Indeed, as Antonia Fraser points out inher biography of Cromwell, the greatman awarded himself a large acreage ofland in the Fethard area, describing theregion as “a land worth fighting for”. Hewas not to live long enough to take pos-session.

The power, wealth and influence ofthe Ascendancy were based on the mis-ery and degradation of their native Irishneighbours. As these people asserted

their right to equal treatment, a questwhich became bound up with the cam-paign for self-rule, the Ascendancy wentinto decline.

The Land Purchase Acts of the 1880sand ‘90s took from under theAscendancy their economic underpin-ning. Their opposition to Home Rule andindeed any form of devolved governmentmeant that they alienated themselvesfrom the majority element in Irish soci-ety. Indeed their views on the leaders ofthe Home Rule movement and Irishpolitical figures in general revealed acontempt for the native population notdissimilar to that expressed by theAfrikaners for the blacks of South Africa.The likes of John Redmond, John Dillonand Tim Healy they viewed as shiftlessand untrustworthy and by implication thesupporters of such figures were regardedas similarly benighted.

A few figures had the sense to appre-ciate the precariousness of their position.Men like Edward Martyn and W.B. Yeatsand women like Constance Gore-Boothsaw that their destiny was bound up withthe majority element and not as agents ofa colonial power. They were, however,the minority.

The years since 1922 have been anuncomfortable period for theAscendancy. The losses most suffered inthe Great War thinned their numbers.Some unable to face the prospect of Irishindependence, like the Cookes ofKiltinan, departed for the home of theirforebears. Those remaining inhabited acultural and political limbo. They werestill fervent Unionists but living in a landwhich had eschewed Unionism and sep-arated from a Britain which had writtenthem off.

The exigencies of Death Duties erod-ed their economic position. Agricultural

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depression as in the 1930s aggravated theeffects of Death Duties. The Irish Statesaw little reason to finance the preserva-tion of stately homes which in the popu-lar mind stood for privilege for the fewand poverty for the many. The disappear-ance of stately properties which wouldhave excited regret in England and actu-ally gave rise to the National Trust passedwithout a murmur in Ireland. The historyof the Ascendancy since 1922 has beenone of almost uninterrupted decline.

Yet this section of Irish society has inits time done much for Ireland. It gave theworld the genius of Swift, the wit ofSheridan and the beauty of Yeats. It pro-duced the chemist Boyle, the astronomerRosse and the engineer Parsons. Perhapsas Ireland achieves the prosperity whichhas so long eluded it, it can afford at lastto preserve the vestiges of a system whichalthough synonymous in many mindswith an unhappy past, also contributedmuch towards creating the modern state.

Killusty 6th class winners of the Fethard Credit Union Primary Schools Quiz held in FethardBallroom last January. L to R: Dawn Russell, Edward Hickey, Shane Aylward and Claire Ryan.

Fethard Country Market

Fethard Country Market conducttheir weekly sale of produce

every Friday between the hours 8.00 a.m.to 11.00 a.m. at the Town Hall, Fethard.There are at present twenty-one regis-tered producers with the market.Produce comprises of: home-madebrown and white bread, preserves, fruitand vegetables, cut flowers, dried flow-ers, plants and shrubs, and a wide varietyof confectionery. In addition, some craftitems are also available. The Market willshortly achieve its fifty-second year trad-

ing in Fethard. The Officers of theMarket at present are as follows:Chairperson Hannie Leahy, HonSecretary Sean O’Dwyer, TreasurerDavid Curran, Quality Control MeganSceats, and P.R.O. Nellie Donovan.

Tentative plans are at present underconsideration with a view to furtherimprovement of trading conditions at theMarket which hopefully will make a visitto the Market a pleasurable social experi-ence for our customers while selecting apurchase from our goods on display.

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The last time I visited my oldhome in Annsgift it was begin-

ning to crumble and the yard and haggard,which saw many a hard day of work reek-ing the corn and storing hay for the winterfeeding, were overgrown and neglected.

The townland of Annsgift is aboutthree miles from Fethard and AnnsgiftHouse was the home of the Hughes fami-ly. The Trehys lived about three-quartersof a mile further on down a boreen thatpassed through the Hughes estate and oursmall farm was surrounded by the estatelands. Memories of that house, hiddenaway from the main road as it was, arefresh in my mind even today, forty-five orso years after I left it. Jim Trehy senior andhis wife Mary, a Kenny from the BackGreen in Fethard, reared five of us thereand they did it well on very meagre means.

My childhood and school days werespent there and I can still remember

some of the ‘characters’ who visited uson a regular basis during those times.Our house, though very isolated fromtown, was a house where people came‘cuardaíocht’ and hardly a night went bywithout callers from some direction.

The Daniels, Bill, Dick and George,our nearest neighbours ‘just across thefields’ would drop by mainly to hear thenews, local, national and international.We had a wireless, you see, and the newsat nine o’clock every night was a point offocus, especially during the War years.Dead silence was required from theyoungsters while the adults listened tonews of the battles on the Normandybeaches, in France and later still, inGermany as the Allies advanced.

One particular night stands out in mymemory when my brother, Lolo, had tomake a hasty retreat upstairs with myfather in hot pursuit because he made

Annsgift — memories of home

Ardsallagh House c.1951, renovations of house by contractor Laurence Kenny, The Green. Front: Mattie Kavanagh (Clonmel), Dick Fitzgerald, Tom McCormack (Annsgift), Mick McCormack

(Annsgift), Johnny Jacobs (Waterford), Johnny Littleton. Back: Dick (Reidy) Power, Tom Burke(Coolmoyne), Tommy Kenny (Baptistgrange), Paddy Fitzgerald, Employee of Jacobs (Waterford), Bill

'Uncle' Connors, Dan McCarthy (Coolmoyne), Tom Finn (Burke Street).

by Jimmy Trehy

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some noise and a strategic piece of newswas missed because of it.

Bill Daniel was the most interested inthe war and he and my father wouldstudy the maps in the paper with greatconcentration especially when the finalbattles were being fought and profoundconversations would go on into the smallhours of the morning about what wouldhappen next. Many years later, when Istood on the new bridge in Arnhem, mymemories went back to those conversa-tions in that little house in Annsgift.

Bill Meara, now long dead, was alsoa regular caller in the long winter nights.Bill was renowned for his odd sarcasticcomment and to us youngsters he was amine of information and gossip from theMoyglass end of our area.

Dick Maher was another regular vis-itor. Dick lived even further down thefields from us and sometimes when hecame he brought his fiddle and joined myfather in a few tunes, usually Cashel setsbut often an air of a song or two as well.We enjoyed the music and that time, wenever thought about going to the pub tohear a session. We had it at home!

Dick would often borrow our fiddleto put together a duo or trio for playing atthreshing dances. These were a regularfeature of our growing up years. We hadan inside track on those because JimTrehy owned a threshing set - a steamengine and mill - and it wound its slowway round the area in late autumn andearly winter doing a day here and a fewdays there until all the corn was threshedand the end of the farm year drew to aclose. All the help at the threshings wasvoluntary and the bigger farmers oftenhad a dance at the end of the threshing inorder to show appreciation for the helpgiven. The best threshing dances that Iremember were at Annsgift House.

Olivia Hughes, the wife of the Major, hada great interest in all things traditionaland she even sneaked us youngsters in tolisten to the music and to sample thefood.

Their big flagstoned kitchen hadample room for the boisterous CashelSets and sedate old time waltzes of thetime. There was also a song or two tohold our interest during the night, manyof them composed by local bards andabout local or national themes. TheCoolmoyne hurling team was the subjectof one I remember and of course the songabout “Dev’s Famous Brown Bread” wasanother popular ditty of the time. None ofthese would make “Top of the Pops”,mind you, but they were a commentaryon the issues of the day both local andnational.

Dan Leahy and his son Jack, as stew-ards at Annsgift estate, were the organis-ers of the Hughes, threshing dance andCiss Grady as the cook in the GreatHouse, as it was called, had the job ofdoing the catering. Her apple tarts youwon’t find nowadays.

As well as the night visitors to ourhouse, there was a procession of day vis-itors too during my young days. Thiswas the era of the compulsory tillage andthe warble fly and other schemes of thetime. The man selling veterinary prod-ucts was the “Osmonds” man. He calledto our area once every year. He woulddrive into our yard and my mother wouldsend one of us to look for my father whowould be out the fields fencing or mov-ing the calves or getting water for thecows from the only well on the place.

When he came, he and my fatherwould adjourn to the kitchen to perusethe catalogues of new medicines andointments available from Osmonds thatseason. One of the usual ointments,

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which had to be purchased in big quanti-ties, was for curing torn teats in the cows.Cows always seemed to get these injuriesin summer when they went madly gal-loping through fences and barbwire toescape the warble fly.

The warble fly inspector was also anannual visitor at a certain time of the yearto find out if the cattle had been dressedagainst the dreaded pest. He was knownin our house by the phrase, “have ye ‘emdone yet”. I remember the man as a veryquiet spoken person who would discussat length the damage done to the hides ofcattle by the warble fly. Once he evenbrought a piece of hide to show usyoungsters the holes made by the larvaewhen they pierced the skin and I remem-ber thinking what pain the poor old cowswent through. That time, of course, thehides of cattle were very valuable formaking leather. Leather was the onlyhard wearing material around to makeboots and shoes and other essential itemsof clothing. Later on, when syntheticswere invented, the leather became lessimportant in everyday life.

Probably the most important visitorto the farm was the seeds salesman. BillDaniel would always announce his visitwith the words, “I had Sir James W.Mackey around today”. So the manbecame known in our house as Sir James.He came from Clonmel and I do notknow if he realised that he had a knight-hood in our little circle but to me, he wassomeone special though I little knewwhat the title meant. (Many years later,when I made the acquaintance of a realSir James Kausimae in the SolomonIslands, I was reminded of the other ‘SirJames’ who sold us the new varieties ofgrass seed, turnip seed and mangold seedso long ago.)

Sir James’ catalogue was studiedcarefully and the best varieties wereselected. Bill Daniel was consultedabout what he was ordering and myfather, who kept in touch with develop-ments through the Co. Committee ofAgriculture Instructor, would relay thelatest information he had been given onthe subject.

Eventually an order would be placed

Jack Leahy and Mrs Hughes in the garden at Annsgift House in the 1940’s

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and arrangements for payment would bediscussed and finalised. The visit alwayscame to an end with my father saying tomy mother, “Give him a few sections ofhoney”. Jim Trehy was a beekeeper parexcellence and he always had honey togive to people who were special guestsor friends. He took great pride in hisbees even up to the end of his life.

Probably the most unwelcome dayvisitor was the ‘Compulsory TillageInspector’ whose visits were fearedrather than welcomed. I remember oneseason when the quota was increased.This man wanted us to plough a fieldnear our house which was always keptfor the first spring grazing for the cows.Over several visits the arguments wenton and even my mother got involved inthe controversy. Eventually the problemwas resolved and we had to plough upthe ‘Little Field’ furthest from the houseand in my father’s words, not suitable fortillage at all, at all.

This incident I remember very wellbecause, when Tom Flynn ploughed it upwith his Fordson tractor, he allowed meto sit on the tractor with him and I thinkhe even allowed me to steer the powerful

machine down the furrow once or twice.Those visitors, friendly and other-

wise, relieved the monotony of life in ourlittle house so far in off the tarred roadand helped us to keep that little farm tick-ing over even in the depths of the waryears when medicines and seeds andadvice about better farming was hard tocome by. I could go on now that I amdawdling down memory lane but that’senough for the present. I am remindedabout another character who used tocome to our house and he was a favouritewith the youngsters because he was agreat story- teller. Paddy Leahy would sitbeside the open fire in the kitchen andtell us stories about Ownie Sanders fromThurles. I don’t know if the characterever existed in real life but to me, animpressionable eight-year-old, hisadventures were as exciting as any char-acter in “The X Files” today. But whenhe got the nod from my mother that itwas time for me to get to bed, he wouldfinish his narrative for the night with thestatement, “I came away then becausethere was a shower”.

What a lot of memories there were inthat “little house” in Annsgift.

Mrs Hannie Leahy and Mrs Mary Leahy collecting apple blossoms in Annsgift House gardens

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As we commence our new finan-cial year assets have now topped

the million mark — good news for ourmembers at the annual general meetingheld in early December. A new feature ofour credit union is the offer of rail ticketsfrom Thurles to Dublin available to ourmembers at a special price of £8 single,and of course, our revised opening hourswhich commenced on Friday November6th from 10-12.30am as well as the usualSaturday night opening hours from 7.00to 8.30pm. These new opening hoursshould greatly facilitate both our existingmembers and new members who maywish to avail of our service whilst shop-ping, or just in town.

With interest rates dropping and keencompetition among financial institutionsit looks likely that our interest on loanswill decrease, as will our dividend on apro-rata basis. The message for the mil-lennium is strong — a thriving ‘CelticTiger’ and a forward looking Credit

Union. This message should be particu-larly strong for young people who maywish to know more and involve them-selves in Credit Union. Come and joinand experience membership first-hand,there is no better way to become CreditUnion friendly.

Our Primary School Quiz was a hugesuccess once more, and was won byKillusty National School. Many youngpeople are already looking forwarded tothe Quiz of ’99.

The sad passing of Dick Gorey ofMain Street was for the credit union thedeath of a former director and foundermember. To his wife Bridget and familywe extend our deepest sympathy.

Board of Directors electedChairperson: Marian Gilpin, Secretary:Eddie O’Brien, Treasurer: Kate Healy.Credit Committee: Kay Spillane, AngelaDillon-White, Sean O’Callaghan,Jonathon Gilpin and Mary Morrissey.Supervisor: John Barrett.

Fethard & District Credit-Union Ltd

Team photographed at the Fethard Credit Union Primary Schools Quiz held in Fethard Ballroom on22nd January ‘98. L to R: Theresa Lawrence, Paul Fogarty, Michael Lawrence and Melissa Rochford.

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Trehy’s Garage reopened

Frank Meagher’s Garage on the Green, formerly Mick Trehy’s Garage

Trehy’s Garage on the Green, afamiliar landmark for many peo-

ple has, since last February, changed itsname to ‘Frank Meagher Sales andRepairs’. Frank who is well-known forhis car rallying in the past has his maingarage business based in Cloneen butsaw the need for expansion and seizedthe opportunity when it arose in Fethard.

Although some alterations andimprovements were made, the structure

still remains very much the same. Thefuel pumps for petrol and diesel are openfrom 7.30a.m. until 10p.m.

The service in Fethard includes carwashing and repairs including punctures,servicing and sales. Any bodywork orpanel beating is carried out in the modernbody shop and spray booth located inCloneen. Frank’s brother Ian managesthe Fethard branch and already has fouremployed in the business.

Slievenamon Close — New Respond Housing Scheme on the Killenaule Road

by Liam Cloonan

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Ger Manton was, like many oth-ers, looking for a way to make a

living in Fethard when he married localgirl Susanna Maher. Like every goodentrepreneur he saw an opening — provid-ing a six-day a week washing and dryingservice in Fethard — and he went for it.

Last February twelve months, Ger setup Washco and while he says that it is toosoon yet to claim success, he is happywith the way the business is growing.Ger Manton reckons that it takes at leastfour or five years to get up and running.Since he opened for business earlier thisyear, with two washing machines andtwo dryers, he has installed a brand newmachine which has enabled him tobroaden his service to include the wash-ing and drying of horse rugs.

Washco provides a service to nursinghomes, pubs and restaurants, stud farms

and the valued local domestic customers.The service includes washing and dryingor drying only for all items includingblankets, duvets and tablecloths. Horserugs can also be washed and dried andWashco provides a specialist cleaningservice for suede and leather.

The launderette and dry cleaning ser-vice is available from Monday toSaturday from 9.30 a.m. until 6.00 p.m.Washco can be found on The Square,Fethard and is located in Sean Henehan’sfurniture and light hardware shop. Ofcourse it was from the same Henehan’sshop window that many young people ofFethard got their inspiration to write toSanta Clause in the past. The same peo-ple are now delighted with the servicesupplied from Washco especially withthe unfavourable washing weather weenjoy in Fethard.

Catering for your laundry by Liam Cloonan

Dancing couple featured on television

Pictured on right are Eddie Murphy,Newpark Hotel, Kilkenny, and Marina

Mullins, Fethard Folk Museum, Cashel Road,Fethard, who are dancing partners for the pastthree and half years.

The couple were chosen for a dancing featureon RTE ‘Nationwide’ television programmewhich was broadcast on September 16th this year.They were both filmed individually at their workplace, then at class in the Springhill HotelKilkenny where both are members of the St.John’s Ballroom Club, and finally in Galway atthe All-Ireland Championships where they tookfirst place in Munster and third in the All-Ireland.

Marina is now dancing for nine years and haswon over 200 awards to date including Tipperary,Munster, South of Ireland, All-IrelandChampionships and ‘Dancer of the Year’ award.

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The Day Care Centre was set uptwo years ago in the Tirry

Community Centre, Barrack Street, andhas proved very successful. The centre isrun by the Community Council FÁSscheme and a very good team of voluntaryhelpers. We open four days a week andcater for up to twenty-four people on mostdays. In the morning tea and toast areserved as our guests arrive. Then, with thehelp of voluntary musicians JimmyLawrence, Pauline Morrissey and John

Pollard, we can also provide music toentertain. To help subsidise our ‘friend-ship account’ Sister Christine usuallyorganises a raffle which has helped to payfor numerous items needed by the centre.After the raffle, a beautiful four-coursedinner is served. In the afternoon bingo isplayed which is greatly enjoyed by all.Afternoon tea is served at 3pm and thecentre then closes at 4pm. A working vol-untary committee has now been formed toplan for future fundraising activities.

Day Care Centre

Fethard and Killusty Muintir CouncilThe AGM of Fethard & Killusty

Muintir Council Limited tookplace on Tuesday 3rd November ‘98 in theTirry Community Centre. The Fethard &Killusty Muintir Council Limited, previ-ously known as the Fethard & KillustyCommunity Council, has changed its namesince becoming a limited company.

At the meeting the following directorswere elected to the board: MichaelO'Hagan, Edwina Newport, Paddy Croke,Peter Grant, Megan Sceats, Diana Stokes,Fr. Ben O'Brien, Susanna Manton, JoeKenny, Nellie O'Donovan, David Sceatsand Pamela Sweeney. Officers to beappointed at the next meeting.

This past year has been a very success-ful one for Fethard & Killusty MuintirCouncil. The community informationoffice, under the management of YvonneWalsh, has continued to grow from strengthto strength and with the wide range of ser-vices available it proves a valuable resourcein the town. The Council’s FÁS Scheme,which was renewed in June, is currentlyemploying eleven people. These partici-pants have been allocated work in the

Sports Centre, Community Office, DayCare Centre and the Tidy Towns. As part ofthe scheme, training is arranged for the par-ticipants in such areas as computers, car andtruck driving and interior design. One of ourobjectives this year was realised inSeptember when the Day Care Centrebegan opening five days per week, fromMonday to Friday. We would like to thankSr. Christine, her staff and the many volun-teers who work tirelessly in the Centre - itssuccess is a result of your efforts.

Our highlight for the year was theannouncement in April that Fethard was tobe awarded funding under the E.U. VillageRenewal Programme. A representationwas made to the County Council on behalfof the community to help direct the fundingtowards the development plan drawn up bythe Tourism Project which incorporatedideas from local organisations and busi-nesses. This Project was set up in 1997 tolook at Fethard as a possible tourist desti-nation and to help in the coordination of acommunity approach to developing atourist industry in the area. This projectwas facilitated by Teagasc Rural

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Enterprise Service under the guidance ofTerry Cunningham. The culmination ofthis project was a tourism seminar held inthe Abymill in November 1997.

The tourism committee reconvened inMay this year to finalise its objectives andto make a formal representation to theCounty Council. After many consultationswith the County Council it was decided that

the funding would be spent on the develop-ment of a river walk and amenity area in theValley. This work started in October last.

One of our most successful fundraiserslast year was the publication of a calendar.This was sponsored by many businesses inthe town and was distributed free to allhouseholds in the town. We wish all ouremigrants a Happy and peaceful Christmas.

Members of the Fitzgerald family, St. Patrick’s Place, pictured at Biddy and Frank Kearney’s 40thwedding anniversary celebrations in Lonergan’s Lounge on the 25th April 1998. L to R: Pat, Jimmy,

Mary, Frank and Biddy Kearney, Tony, Michael and Ollie Fitzgerald.

Tidy Towns

The Annual General Meeting ofTidy Towns was held in March

and the incoming officers were as fol-lows: Chairperson Ann Cooney,Secretary Peter Grant, Treasurer AnnaCooke, P.R.O. Thelma Griffith. Duringthe year we had two quarterly meetingswith County Council area engineer DanWalsh and town foreman TomFitzgerald. During these meetings wereviewed each area of the town in detail

and many improvements were agreedand implemented. However, one of ourremaining problems remains that of lit-ter. Property owners and Council work-ers alike are overwhelmed by the amountof litter being discarded on to the streetson a routine basis.

We would like to thank all who sup-ported our church gate collection, andalso those who sponsored the prizes forour garden competition. The garden

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competition is our way of highlightingindividual efforts being made by manypeople in their front gardens, windowboxes and hanging baskets. As usual,last year’s winners were not eligible towin this year. This year we were veryfortunate to have the services of TomPurcell on a FÁS scheme. Our thanks toTom for all the maintenance work he hasdone and for the interest he has shown.

The following were the prizewinners inthe Tidy Towns Best Garden Competition1998. Mockler’s Terrace, Spittlefield &Knockbrack: Mrs & Mrs John Coffey. TheValley & Watergate: Joan Anglim. KerryStreet, Congress Terrace & Redcity: MaryNewport. Cashel Road: John & Mary

Barrett. Main Street & Rocklow Road:Jimmy O’Sullivan. Burke Street & AbbeyStreet: Percy O’Flynn. The Green &Barrack Street: Esther Breen. St. Patrick’sPlace: (1st) Tom & Pauline Morrissey,(2nd) Anne & Joe Keane. SlievenamonClose: Mary & Benny Morrissey. Strylea& Cedarwood Grove: Billy & PatriciaTreacy. Woodvale Walk: (1st) Buddy &Teresa Roche, (2nd) Mr & Mrs DanMurphy. Fr. Tirry Park & Canon HayesCourt: (1st) Mr & Mrs Grant, (2nd) MrsHannigan. Best Large Garden: JoanAnglim. Best Business Premises:O’Sullivan’s Chemist. Best WindowBoxes: Dr. Corcoran. Best Overall Area:Strylea & Cedarwood Grove.

Members of Fethard Parish FÁS Community Scheme pictured on completion of their recent training coursein woodwork last July. Standing L to R: Canon James Power P.P.; John Nagle, Frank Fogarty, Tom Halpin,

David Gorey (instructor), Brendan Kenny, Liam Cloonan (scheme supervisor), Connie O’Sullivan andErnan Britton (scheme manager). Seated L to R: Mary O’Keeffe (FÁS) and Sandra Meehan.

New local solicitorIn 1991, Mary Delehanty opened a

solicitor’s office in Fethard.Earlier this year Mary, who comes froma distinguished legal family, wasappointed Registrar and ReturningOfficer for Tipperary SR. On her

appointment, Mary realised that it wasnot feasible to continue the practice inFethard so when the opportunity arosefor local girl Susanna Manton, she feltthat she could not let it pass. Susanna,youngest daughter of the late Dr Gerry

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and Eileen Maher from Main Street,completed her Law Degree in UCC andfirst worked in Boyle, Co. Roscommon,the birthplace of her mother. She workedin Middleton and also with a Kilkennyfirm when the opportunity arose.Susanna married Ger Manton andreturned to her native Fethard and thefamily residence in Main Street.

On 14th April 1998 she took over thepractice of Mary Delehanty B.C.L.across the street but, as she points out,

was very well supported and made verywelcome by Eileen Burke and AvrilColville, both employees of Ms.Delehanty.

From the new year, the name outsidethe door will change to MantonSolicitors but little else will be altered.They will, said Susanna, continue to pro-vide the same service which in a ruraltown like Fethard has to include every-thing from conveyancing, courts, familylaw to making a will.

Fethard Irish Farmers AssociationThe first record of Fethard branch

goes back to March 10th 1962. Onthat night after a lecture from Mr. ConMurphy P.R.O. of Irish Sugar Co. officerswere elected to represent Fethard in N.F.A.(National Farmers Association). This organ-isation had been founded at National level in1955. In the early seventies N.F.A. alongwith Irish Sugar Beet and VegetableGrowers Association, Cork Liquid MilkProducers and Leinster Milk Producerscame together to form I.F.A.

The officers elected in Fethard in1962 were Chairman: J.H. Delany,Secretary: P. Morrissey, Treasurer: Ed.Trehy. Delegates to County Executive:J.H Delany and Ml. Smyth.

Officers in succeeding years wereChairman: 1964 to 1966: Philip Maher,1966 to 1971: John Holohan, 1971 to 1975:John Slattery, 1975 to 1981: T.P. Meagher,1981 to 1983: Philip Maher, 1983 to 1985:Tom Butler, 1985 to 1987: Malachy Brett,1987 to 1990: David O’Meara, 1990 to1997: Denis O’Halloran. Treasurer 1964 to1971: Patrick Coffey, 1971 to 1977: Ed.Trehy, 1977 to 1997: Joseph O’Connor.Secretary: Denis McGrath became secretaryin 1966 and remain so to the present day.

At the AGM held in Nov. 1997 the

following officers were electedChairman: John O’Flynn, Secretary:Denis McGrath, Treasurer: DavidTierney. Reps. on County Sub-Committees Dairy: Joe Trehy and DavidO’Meara, Livestock: Richard Hennessyand David Tierney, Grain: Noel Delaney,Sheep: Pat Walsh and Jim O’Donnell,Horse: Jim Barry, Farm Family: Mrs K.Delany and Mrs M. O’Halloran, FarmBusiness: John Delany, Industrial: JohnSlattery.

On 22nd January Frank Bourke,Teagasc, gave a talk on phosphate leach-ing, revised fertiliser guidelines and codeof practice when spreading fertiliser. On9th March Jim Cantwell and Jim Barlowboth from F.O.C. gave a lecture coveringfarm retirement scheme, pension plan-ning, tax allowances and alternativeinvestment to provide a pension. On20th July there was a special meetingaddressed by Michael Walsh, CountyChairman, to decide on our policytowards milk quotas.

On Sept. 25th we had an open meet-ing with guest speakers Pat Cox M.E.P.and Dermot Leavy, Chairman of I.F.A.Rural Development Committee atnational level. This focused on agenda

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2000 proposals, objective, status forIreland and likely political fall-out fromGerman election during the year. Thebranch has attended all South Tipp. CountyExecutive meetings and the various com-mittee meetings held at county level. Manyissues have come up for discussion andthere has often been heated discussion onour policy. On 28th Nov. Fethard branchjointly with Killenaule branch organised abus to the national demonstration in Dublinon falling farm incomes. There was stand-ing room only on the bus.

On the 18th Oct. we received withgreat sadness the news of the death ofDenis O’Halloran. Denis had been chair-man of the branch for seven years. He hasalso been the South Tipp Rep. on theNational Animal Health Committee. Hewas one of the most widely respected per-sonalities on the county executive whogave his views without any ulterior agenda.Our sincere sympathies to Moira, Bernard,Edel, Denise, Sinéad, son in law, many rel-atives and many close friends. May he restin peace.

Group of Avonmore farmers leaving for a trip to Wales — September 1985

Let the shoemaker stick to his lastIn the premises now occupied by

the Gateway Guest House wasonce the workshop and home of the Crokebrothers, Paddy and Johnny. There canhardly be any Fethard person of my agewhose footwear was not repaired by themfor this was the era before shoes were dis-carded as their soles wore down. Insteadthey were sent to be resoled or re-heeledand the Crokes long dominated the trade.

I first made their acquaintance in theearly 1950s. I was just starting at thePatrician Brothers Primary School underthe tutelage of Brother Damian, an elder-ly grey-haired man then in the final years

of his teaching career.On the way home one day I stopped to

gaze through the workshop window.Paddy was sitting facing the window andJohnny sat on his left. One was nailing aleather sole to a shoe with the last onwhich the shoe was placed grippedbetween his knees. The other was engagedin the intricate and laborious business ofstitching a sole to the upper by hand.

I often looked at them through thewindow until one day I plucked up thecourage to go in. The business had heldan irresistible fascination for me and Iwanted to observe it at close quarters. I

Tommy Healy

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discovered that both brothers were notjust shoe repairers but shoemakers. Theymade shoes to measure for customersprosperous enough to afford the bespokeversion and did so by hand.

Over the next few years I oftenobserved with growing interest thepainstaking process of putting together ashoe. Uppers were attached to a leatherand cork insole and the soles, made ofthick leather, were stitched by handbefore heels werefinally added.

The process ofhandstitching Ifound to be intri-cate and extremelyskilled. I oftenobserved the broth-ers prepare thethread as if it werepart of some highlycomplex scientificprocess. Linen yarnwas measured off aball of whiteuntwisted thread.The material wasproduced byStewarts of Lisburn.Several strands,often as many as six, were twisted togeth-er. These were heavily waxed using a barof cobblers wax, a very sticky substancewhich became even stickier from the heatof the hand and the friction as it was drawnalong the thread. This thread was preparedin a double taper to assist the insertion ofthe stitches. Finally, a piece of ‘Russian’hair, a very stiff fibre, needed to guide thethread through the narrow hole which theawl would make, was attached to thetapered ends and stitching commenced.

To make the stitching secure, a holewas made through the welt and sole. This

hole was fractionally thinner than thethread. The thread was forced throughfrom each side on the taper, a half-hitchwas made and it was drawn tightly togeth-er. The result was to make the fixingsecure even if the thread on the sole end ofthe shoe wore through from walking. Thewaxed thread on the upper end literallystuck the sole in place.

The Croke brothers died almost thirtyyears ago. However I can still picture them

clearly sat in theirplaces in that tinyworkshop. Paddywould light up a cig-arette, place it in hismouth and simplyinhale the smokeslowly as he workedat what seemed tome a very rapid rate.

Johnny was anenthusiastic andaccomplished gar-dener and on someafternoons was tobe seen working inhis garden on theother side of theroad. I notice that abungalow now

occupies that site.The emergence of synthetic materials

and the expansion of mass productionhave created the throwaway shoe. Withthese have almost disappeared the trade ofthe old-fashioned, highly skilled shoemak-er. Such trades imposed a discipline intheir learning and a dedication in theirpractice for which in their absence weare the poorer. I still picture the Crokesbent laboriously over their work andremember them with affection.

‘Go ndeaniadh Dia trocaire ar ahanam go leir’.

Mikey Croke with post office bike, wife and daugh-ter and another women outside their house on the

Rocklow Road. (photo: Peggy Delguidice)

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Our Annual General Meeting washeld on 7th Feb. ’98 in the Tirry

Centre at 8.30pm. The following werethe officers elected: President: DickCummins, Chairman: Michael O’Dwyer,Vice Chairmen: Michael Keane andTommy Gahan, Secretary: JosephineFitzgerald, Ass. Secretary: Dinny Burke,Treasurers: Paula Gahan and NoreenBurke. Bord na nÓg Delegates: MichaelO’Dwyer and Liam Cloonan. LiaisonOfficer: Eileen Maher. Committee: MartinO’Connor, Theresa Leahy, Mary Godfrey,Michael Kenrick, Austy Godfrey, MartinBurke and M.C. Maher.

While this was not our most successfulyear we still had some good matches inboth football and hurling. We played inover fifty matches. Our U/16 football team

were the first to start off on the 30thMarch. We played seven matches to reachthe semifinal against Cahir in which wewere beaten. The U/16 hurling team alsoreached the semifinal in which Fr.Sheehy’s beat us. Our U/14 footballers andhurlers teams both reached the semifinalstages. Our U/10 players also had a num-ber of matches throughout the year. OurU/12 footballers reached the semifinal inwhich we were beaten by Carrick Swanswho then went on to win the County Final.U/12 hurling also saw us to the semifinalin which we were beaten by Ballylooby.

In the first week of July we had a verysuccessful Summer Camp which washeld in the GAA field. Over eighty chil-dren took part and the three coachesorganised skills competitions and also

Summer Camp in the GAA Field — 1998

Fethard Juvenile GAA

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taught the basic skills of our nationalgames. We also participated in theTipperary U/11 Ground HurlingTournament. Our players were in differ-ent venues for three Saturdays. Some ofour players also played on the hurling andfootball South Tipperary teams.

As it takes in the region of £3,000 torun the club we ran many different typesof fundraising events such as an EasterEgg Raffle, Car Boot Sale, ChristmasHamper etc.. We are grateful to all oursupporters and sponsors who have sup-ported us through the year.

Fethard Open Coursing Club

The past season was a great year inthe club’s history. We had some

great coursing and great sportsmanshipwas showing by all owners, trainers andjudge Arthur Daly, who at all times wasvery fair and showed great judgementwhen the buckles were close. The clubwould like to thank the following fortheir great work over the year: DenisShine, our head beater and Tommy Shinehis able assistant, Michael Flanagan andMichael Shine for their great effort, PeterO’Sullivan (secretary) and Paddy Hickey(treasurer). Thanks also to our committeeD. Barry, M. Jackson, D. O’Dwyer, L.O’Gorman and family, M. Keane, N.Evans, M. Hanrahan, M. Ryan, M.Holland. The club would also like tothank our sponsors CL Eng. Rosegreen,Woodlock Brothers, Ryan’s Bar,Drangan, Michael Ferris, O’Sullivan’sChemist, Timmy O’Riordan, CoolmoreStud, Pat Leahy (Agri Stock),McCarthy’s Hotel, O’RiordansIronworks, Maurice Jackson, SeanMorrissey (Bicycle Shop), Donal Leahy,M. Morris. We would also like to thankall landowners.

The 28th of December was the bigdate with the J.F. O’Sullivan Cup and£800 in prizes. After some great coursingthe cup went to Cork with A. Hussey’s‘Dromore Tico’ beating local hopeMichael Flanagan’s ‘Sensual Sol’ in thefinal. The Duffer for the Olly’s Bar

Stakes was divided between T. Shine’s‘Monroe Heather’ and A. Daly’s‘Moukey’s Road’. Jerry Desmond, Sec.of the Irish Coursing Club, presented thewinners with their trophies. M. Flanaganwon the Dick Burke Trophy. Cork’s M.Hennearty won the Inter County Stake.

The club would like to thank YvonneWalshe and her staff in the Tirry Centrefor their hard work in printing the cardsand posters and having them ready atsuch short notice. Let’s hope 1998-99will be as good as last year and with thesame effort it could be. Yours in sport,Arthur Daly, Chairman.

Remember Rosie

Rosie Henehan, The Square. Died on 23rd January 1984, aged 62.

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Greetings everyone, Christmas isonce again on our doorstep and

with another year having flown by it istime to bring you up to date on all thathas been happening in the “FethardPlayers”, this past year. “The Loves ofCass Maguire”, was staged in the Abymilllast November. Cass, a returned Yankeefinding it difficult to fit in anywhere,eventually ends up in a retirementhome. The play takes place in the retire-ment home with the other residents andmembers of Cass’s family. A marvel-lous play with the leading lady playedby Marian Gilpin (Mulligan). Marian,as always, gave a great performance.Congratulations to Anne Connolly, JohnFogarty, Carmel Rice, Sean Ryan, GerMcCarthy, Lisa Rice and Gerry Fogartyfor their great performances. Once again,Austin O’Flynn outdid himself as produc-er. To Michael McCarthy, Christy Mullinsand Jacinta O’Flynn we say a sincere

‘thanks’ for the wonderful stage settings.We would also like to thank everyone whosupplied us with furniture for the set andeveryone who helped in any way.

Our production for this year was“Wanted One Body”, a farcical chiller byRaymond Dyer. The show was staged inthe Abymill Theatre from Monday 16November to 22 November.

Our sympathy to Marie O’Sullivanand the O’Sullivan family on the death ofMarie’s husband Donal who died on the7th of November this year.

Donal was a gifted member of theFethard Players. He had many talents,especially as a raconteur, was also a notedbusinessman, a keen golfer and a goodtennis player in his younger days. But itwas in his ability as a thespian that thesefew lines are penned.

Donal played leading roles in most ofthe productions in the 1950’s and ’60’sand was hugely popular with audiences.

Fethard Players

Cast of this year’s production ‘Wanted One Body’. Standing back L to R: Sean Ryan, John Fogarty,Ann Connolly, Michael McCarthy. Seated front L to R: Geraldine McCarthy, Gerry Fogarty, Mary

O’Connell, Marian Gilpin, Helen Carrigan and Lisa Rice.

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His forte was comedy, an innate sense oftiming, a confidence in delaying thepunch line until just the right moment,until the audience was about to explodewas his genius. He played his roles withease and aplomb, immersing himselftotally in each character. Of course therewere times when he also got so carriedaway with the part that he was inclined toforget his lines — the audience obliviousthat trouble had just been averted. Hislast appearance for the Fethard Playerswas as Tony in ‘The Patsy’ in 1969. Hestarred with Carmel Rice, who played theeponymous heroine in this comedy.During practice, Donal found it hard toremember his lines and had Carmel andthe rest of the cast sweating bricks duringthe week of the show, but it was a hugesuccess. Sometime later Donal presentedCarmel with a bottle of perfume and acard inscribed, “To Patsy from Tony –thank you for putting up with me”.

His playing in “Stymied” a one actby Joe Tomelty, at the “Feis” in Clonmelin 1956 brought rave comments fromAbbey producer Thomas McGunna asalso did his characterisation of Hector DeLa Mare in Lennox Robinson’s “Dramaat Inish” in 1958. He had audiencesrolling in the aisles as Chester Binny inthe hilarious “The Whole Towns Talking”in 1960. This show packed the Regal inClonmel after its run in Fethard. Some ofthe other dramas that Donal took part inwere “Zurika” (Town Hall), “CobwebsGlory” (Convent Hall), “The Courting ofMary Doyle” (Town Hall) and many of thefamous pantomimes of this period whichtook place in the Capitol Cinema. Formany years after he had finished withperforming Donal helped behind stagewith make up, lending his warm agree-able personality to the proceedings hisready wit and good company will besadly missed. May he rest in peace.

I never got the taste – or my name on the bottle

Ican never explain the feeling insideof me when on my way to Fethard,

the run down through Kerry St. and theturning left along the Cashel Road towhere I started out from many years ago.The visits to friends with whom I grew up— John Whyte, a quick hand shake andthen away again, five or ten minutes withAustin O’Flynn in Burke Street. There weput the world to right and away again. Nogoodbyes for we know there will be othertimes, then up the Cashel Road to Tomand Kathleen McCormack, the knock onthe door and Tom’s face as he says, “Well,Brendan, come in and sit awhile”.

A big hug from Kathleen and she andSue, my lady, get acquainted and then,

“Will you have a drink” and Tom says,“I’ll make Sue an Irish Coffee”, and wesettle down. As usual my friends will say,“You never drank Brendan?” and theninquire why, to which there is no realanswer except I never developed a taste.That is not to say that I was never arounddrink. Oh no, even though my father,Garda Jim Fergus and my mother Marynever drank while we knew them, therewas never drink in the house, only miner-als, and maybe a drop of whiskey for vis-itors.

So where did I spend my time aroundthe demon drink? On my hazy journeythrough the fifties, in between trying toget some kind of education and keeping

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body and soul intact, I did many part-time jobs. Sometimes my late brotherVincent and I spent hours and weeksthinning sugar beet etc., but there isanother tale.

It was while working for JackO’Shea of Main Street Fethard that I firstcame in contact with the ‘brown nectar’.I worked the summer of 1956 in his shoerepair shop. Jack also owned a publichouse now known as Dick Burke’s‘Bridge Bar’. In those days Jack used tobottle his own Guinness and the job fellto me on Wednesday evenings. All theequipment for the procedure was at therear of the pub and the present proprietorsaid that the gear was still there.

First of all the bottles, large andsmall, had to washed to a very high stan-dard and Jack himself would inspectmost of them. He had a pressure brushand water jets so that every bottle wasclean. If a bottle was found to be soiled,I would get a yellow card. The largewooden cask was rocked to and fro until

I managed to place it on a wooden benchabout eighteen inches off the floor. Thensecurely in position, with the help of alarge wooden mallet in my right handand a brass tap in my left, I would drivethat tap into a plugged hole in the barrel.The piece of ‘tackle’ for bottling was awork of art. It was of enamelled cast-iron,a kind of trough about eighteen inches byfive by five on a stand with four pipes in a‘v’ shaped weighted at one end, so thatwhen suspended on a bar above the troughone end was submerged in the beer. Thenthe tap in the barrel was opened and thetrough filled up. As the trough filled I hadto suck the brown nectar through each ofthe four pipes and quickly slip a bottle onso that the liquid flowed of its own accordto fill each bottle, changing the bottles asthey filled leaving enough space for thecork – oh yes I had to cork them as well.Every time I sucked I received a smallquantity of Guinness but I never acquireda taste for it.

I can’t recall how many bottles were

Jack O’Shea’s first Bar in Fethard before it was taken over by his wife’s brother-in-law Dick Burke

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filled but to a lad of seventeen it seemedlike a lot. Then the final part was to putthe labels on the bottles of stout. Eachlabel had to be placed straight, for Jackwould not have even one slightlycrooked, especially when his name wason the label stating, ‘Bottled by J.O’Shea’. I never got my name on the bot-tle, but I got my six shillings.

Then the whole place was washed,the trough and barrell were emptied ofthe ”dregs” and now I have a confessionto make. Every Wednesday one of thelads from out along the Cashel Roadwould slip in the side door and say,“Brendan, is there any drop to spare?” At

the bottom of the barrell there were fiveor six pints of a treacle-like liquid whichthis man drank. Then up on his big bikeand away home thanking me as heslipped away into the darkness. I justcannot recall his name. I spent manyhours in the pub amongst spirits, ales,porters and my only tipple was Cidona.

A rumour went abroad that I was onthe drink, as on purpose I would have myapple drink from a tall ale glass, so that theheavy drinkers thought that I was on theboyo. My father knew better, “And Jasus,him a Guard’s son and drinking in a pub”.

Oh God love them I never developedthe taste, nor did I let on.

My young life in Knockelly

My parents Thomas (Tom) andJoanna (Jo) R.I.P. told me I

was born on the back Green in Fethard.I never knew which cottage, it mayhave fallen down by now. My earliestchildhood memories are of living inwhat to me was a great big house inKnockelly. Later in life I was told mydad managed the farm and we lived inthe farmhouse. I can still see all therooms, there must have been eight ormore and how big they were. Therewas always somewhere to play andhide. All the front was full of flowerswith a big drooping ash which we usedto sit and play under. I wonder if it isstill there? We were very poor andtimes were very hard.

My Dad was a great dog-man inthose days, greyhounds, of course, whatelse? One day as we were playing in thefield with a ball one of Dad’s greyhoundpups got out and joined in the fun, run-ning ‘round in circles with the ball. No-one could get it from him, but I pickedup a stick and, not knowing what injury

could be done to a three month old pup,I threw the stick at him and broke one ofhis legs. As you know, a pup with a bro-ken leg is no good. When Dad came infrom working in the fields I was lockedaway in a room with my Mum on guardoutside, or there would have been amurder in Knockelly. My Dad loved hisgreyhounds, I think, even more than hischildren.

Another time while playing with aball it went into a big barrel usually fullof water. But on this occasion it con-tained only a few inches. My sisterPeg, R.I.P. was looking after me, but Iclimbed onto the barrel and fell in headfirst. All Peg could do was shout, “Thechild is drowning”, until my Mumpulled me out. After that I was alwayscalled ‘the child’ in the family, oh! howa nickname sticks!

The next thing I remember was hav-ing to leave the farm. This wasexplained to me as I got older. Thefarm was owned by Joe O’Dwyer. Ionly saw him once or twice. I think he

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lived in Fethard with Mr. P. McLennon,who was a relative. He died suddenlyand his brother and sister Pat andMargaret O’Dwyer, took over the farm.We moved down the road to the cottagea couple of hundred yards away.

Then I started school, and nomedals or anything else were won byme, but it was not the teacher’s fault.Thinking back, I can remember theteachers very well, Tim O’Keeffe,Brother McCarton, Brother Gilbert andBrother Stanislaus. They had a toughtime with us lot.

I came home from school one dayand my Mum told us that Dad had goneto work in England like many men inand around Fethard at that time. LaterMum told us that as a young man Dadhad been a very good cyclist, and howon one occasion he cycled to Cork forthe Munster Championship with tworacing wheels on his back. He won therace and the first prize was a wickerarmchair which he tied to his back withtwo racing wheels and cycled backhome. All that, just to compete! Whenschool days were finished, my wish wasto become a joiner, but in those days ifnone of your family or relatives were inthe building trade you could not get in– that is what we were told. I supposeit was a case of who you knew.However, my working life started onthe farm for Mr. P. Anglim, Knockelly.After 6 months I moved to Mr. J. Huntof Saucestown for two very happy yearsuntil I started my apprenticeship ingents hairdressing with Mr. P. Hassey ofGladstone Street, Clonmel. That meantcycling to and from Clonmel everymorning and night, covering a mileage ofabout 23,000 miles in about four years. Iwonder if any teenagers would do ittoday, they would probably think I was

mad, as they would want a car.One day, on my way home from

Clonmel, a young lad in Lisronaghfooling around with his friends jumpedstraight into my front wheel and buck-led it so bad I had to walk home the restof the way. On another occasion, onewinter’s night, I was stopped by aGarda for not having a light. I wasfined five shillings, which was a lot tome as I had no wage at that time. MyMum had to pay a fee for my appren-ticeship with no wages for twelvemonths, so I have a record after all!Then there was a time when I needednew cycle tyres which could only bebought on the “black market.” I went toa certain house and paid £1 for twotyres, the normal cost was about threeshillings each.

Once, during the big freeze of 1947,I was pushing my bike up Market Hillon the grass verge when a well knownbusiness man passed me in his car, andnot many men had cars in those days. Hegot stuck on the icy road a few yards fur-ther up. I helped push him and his car tothe top of the hill and off he went leavingme to walk back down for my bike withno offer of a lift to Clonmel. When I gotto work, the same man was having ashave and haircut in the shop. My bosswas very annoyed when I told him whathad happened.

A group of us used to go swimmingin the river when the weather permitted,anywhere from Peppardstown toCrampscastle. Once, we were swim-ming below the bungalow at that timeowned by Mrs. Longbottom. Whilstgetting dressed, I realised one of myfriends was missing. Without thinking,I jumped into the river and there he waslying on the bottom. With the help ofmy friend Dick O’Gorman and the oth-

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ers, we dragged him on to the bank andsomehow got him breathing again. Wedidn’t know any first aid, but thankGod he was alright. Can you rememberanything about it Tom S? Shortly afterthat my best friend Dick O’Gormanemigrated to the U.S.A. Our highlightof the week was the dance held in theTown Hall, starting at 9 p.m. and fin-ishing at 3a.m., but we still got up forwork the following day. One Sundayevening, when cycling down BurkeStreet in a rush to get to the AbbeyChurch, a group of children were play-ing ‘chicken’ outside Maude Green’sshop. Unfortunately, I was the unlucky

one they choose to run in front of. Onelittle boy left it too late and he hit myfront wheel full on and I hit the road nearJack Kenrick’s shop. Everyone wasworried about the little boy, but no onebothered about me. I think it might havebeen Austin O’Flynn, do you rememberit? Obviously, I didn’t get to church.

This was part of my life until I leftfor England in 1949, but for me Fethardand Knockelly will always be home. Ilove to come back home for holidays asoften as possible. I wish all in Fethardand district and all readers of theNewsletter a very happy and holyChristmas. God bless all.

Old Fethard Carnival entry "The Pub With No Beer" Tom Sheehan, Mikey Looby, Billy Murphy(Knockelly), Georgie Matthews, Mickey Doyle and Pat Murphy.

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The Meals on Wheels is now oper-ating from the Tirry Community

Centre, and working happily hand-in-glove with the Day Care Centre staff.While the Day Care operates a four dayweek, we still deliver Mondays,Wednesdays and Fridays and on those daysthe meals for all clients are prepared togeth-er. Then the thirty or so meals to be deliv-ered in town and its environs are put intospecial hot-locks and taken away by thevolunteers to those who want it at home.

Home delivery is a time to say a quick‘hello’ and have a little chat, which isenjoyed by all concerned, not in the least bythe Transition Year pupils from theSecondary School who help with the deliv-ery, and who have developed a great rapportwith the recipients. Indeed, the studentshelp with this service is invaluable and addsto the whole ‘sense of community’.

Thanks to all, our generous patronsand volunteers without whose help thisworthy service could not continue.

Meals on Wheels

Racquetball revived in Coolmoyne

Amongst the great social occa-sions of the year was the official

opening of Coolmoyne ball alley on 16July 1998. Local man Tom Noonan wasthe main instigator of the operation andalong with theo p e n i n g ,blessing, eat-ing and drink-ing there wasan officialpublication tomark the occa-sion. The ballalley’s historygoes backmany years tothe days whenit was the oldschool house.Back in thethirties it was avery popularhandball centreand againwhen the mid 70’s revival of the game sawthe Coolmoyne alley updated.

In 1984 a racquetball club wasformed but by the end of the decade theinterest had dwindled. Last year TomNoonan was instrumental in forming anew racquetball club and with almost 150

members theydecided toredecorate theC o o l m o y n eball alley to asuitable stan-dard for run-ning competi-tion. The ven-ture proved tobe a majorsuccess.

Echoes of‘Let FlyCoolmoyne’are still to beh e a r dalthough theh a n d b a l lgame of yes-

teryear is no more to be seen onCoolmoyne ground.

Pictured outside Coolmoyne Racquetball Alley are L to R: TomNoonan, project coordinator; Declan Brown, who unveiled the

plaque; Sergeant Michael Haran and Fr. Michael Barry.

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GLADIATOR H I - ONE(in memory of Patrick Kenrick)

Framed in an eight inch photographThe majesty of the Gladiator somewhat dimmed.

What was it like in 1904 to driveThe first registered motor car in South Tipperary?

Your only unfailing weekly visitorEnlivened your boredom.

We all came running as we heard it Coming over the first bridge in Clonmel.

Those later years were cruelFar removed from the mighty Gladiator. Poor circulation, the curse of the elderly

In the fifties, caused the loss of a leg.

Things could have been better ordered Between us, you spent so much time telling me

To be quiet, rather than regaling me with tales of wonder. We spent our time competing for another’s affection.

Forgotten in the pub by the local clown You would have pined for the Gladiator, As you sat in sadness in your wheelchair.

With barely enough drink to oil your wheels.

— Frank Marshall (grandson)

Patrick Kenrick Catherine Kenrick(his sister)

Gladiator HI - 1

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Ifell into it once when I was fiveand in short pants and I can still

feel the stinging of the nettles. It wasdangerous and unsightly and for myfather it became an obsession to have itfixed. He made many efforts to have itpiped and filled in. I remember oncewhen he set off the few miles in the assand car to talk to Councillor Jack Ahessyabout it. He also wrote letters about it,and whenever Bill O’Keeffe and ErnieWilson or anyone else from the CountyCouncil worked on the roads nearby, ordrank tea in the house, they were remind-ed about it and always asked to do some-thing about it.

The shore, as we called it, was theopen stream, which ran down the road

about eight feet outside the gate of ourhome in St. Johnstown. Jim, my father,worked on a farm all his life, was veryhandy and he could “turn his hand toanything”. He had great plans to buildentrance piers and walls, a porch whichwould replace the half door, a shed at theside, and walls around the house. Hewanted so badly to have the shore fixedby the Council, he couldn’t afford to do ithimself, and as he often said “it wouldput the finishing touch” to his own plans.

That was back in 1947, the year ofthe big snow. It was such a heavy fallthat it filled the roads as high as theditches. I was seven then, and walkedthe two miles to school. We had somefirewood in for the winter, and a small

The Shore by John Ryan (Clonmel)

St. Johnstown school 1923 : Back L to R: Miss Miller, Kitty Plant, Deb Smythe, Lill Plant. Harry Smythe.Third Row: John Smythe, George Smythe, Billy Lawless, Bill Ryan. Second Row: Kit Spencer, Daisy

Bradshaw, Maureen Hayden, Chaddie Smythe, Lizzy Smythe, John Hayden Plant, Lizzy Spencer. Front L to R: Frank Spencer, Ina Hayden, Dolly Hayden, Gonzy Bradshaw, Tommy Hayden and Nell Ryan.

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stock of culm balls which were madefrom slack and coal dust, mixed with yel-low clay and ‘danced’ before we madethe balls with our hands. The glow andheat from a well-set fire of culm balls,the soft light of the paraffin lamp, neigh-bours calling and stories around the fire,Radio Luxembourg and Miceál O’Heihiron the wireless with the wet and dry bat-teries, and the ‘mug of goody’ before Iwas sent to bed with the tin hot waterbottle in a sock. Those warm and happyexperiences of my young life were trou-bled only by the pain in my tender kneeson the bare concrete floor for the fivedecades of the Rosary, the litany of thesaints and a few ‘trimmings’ every night.

The big snow interrupted my father’splans. He got many a ‘wetting’ as a farmworker and it was in the winter of forty-six/forty-seven that he got sick. It wasthe first time I heard the word pleurisy.The doctor came, but it never cleared upand as time went by, he did not recoveras we thought he would. He and mymother had then to come to terms withthe cruel reality of T.B. Our liveschanged then and for the next eight yearsmy father fought his brave battle againstthe dreaded disease, while he and mymother reared three of us on just a coupleof pounds a week assistance money, shoevouchers, and with the help of good andkind neighbours and local shopkeeper,Ned Campion’s, credit and generosity.

Bit by bit through the early years ofhis illness, Jim built the piers andentrance walls and capped them. Hemanaged to buy a load of sand and a fewbags of cement. He made models with afew old boards, held them together withwire, and used them again and again. Heput the shed up against the house, lined itwith tar barrels which he cut open andstraightened out, and roofed it with a few

second-hand sheets of galvanise. Hebuilt several small walls around mymother’s flowerbeds. She loved the roses,daffodils, sweet pea and geraniums, andshe kept those beds very beautiful. Thehalf-acre plot was never without potatoes,vegetables and the finest rhubarb. Myfather soled shoes, cut our hair, and I cuthis, and he grew and sold cabbage plantsat half a crown for a hundred.

My mother patched our clothes,darned our socks and once a year or so,with a gleam in her eye, she opened theparcel of clothes which arrived from hersister, our Aunt Ellie in Oxford. Wekilled a pig every year. It was a big daywhen I cried for the pig, but feasted forweeks and the neighbours did too onpork and oh! the home-made puddings. Isnared rabbits in Hayden’s field and thehens that we kept meant we always hadfresh eggs. I cannot remember ever nothaving a hot dinner when we came homefrom school.

As the years passed the half century,and my father became more ill, I helpedhim do things around the house and inthe garden, never as much as I shouldand often begrudgingly when I wanted tobe somewhere else — playing skittles atthe cross, hurling in Meehan’s field, orplaying forty-fives or a hundred and tenwith my elders at Morrisseys. “Keep acool head, a dry foot and an odd lookback”, was advice he gave me on morethan one occasion. I remember once, andwill always remember, after I rebelledand refused to do something for him hesaid he expected me to look after mymother and sisters when he was gone.

In 1955, eight years after the bigsnow, the ambulance came one day totake him the forty or so miles toArdkeen Hospital. The neighbours saidthat “he had failed a lot” in the months

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before. I remember that day well, theambulance and the things left unsaid. Iwas fifteen then, and my youth shieldedme from the heartache and pain which mymother and father must have suffered aswe said our farewells and he parted fromhis family on the roadway outside the

home he loved so much.Jim died in Ardkeen without seeing us

again. T.B. had claimed my father’s lifebefore his own and the nation’s hero Dr.Noel Brown succeeded in saving so manyand ridding the country of the epidemic.The Council never fixed the shore.

Anglim’s Farm Knockelly. Includes Paddy and William Anglim, Connie O’Donnell, Edmond O’Donnell, John‘Cutsie’O’Donnell, Bunny Anglim, Tess Anglim, Angela Anglim, Ita and Ena Murphy (relatives from Dublin).

Irish Red Cross SocietyOnce again it is time to record the

activities of our branch duringthe year. A number of our members trav-elled to Roscrea to attend a general meet-ing to review an area development planfrom 1998 to the year 2000. A newambulance was also presented to theTipperary branch to be used at sports andracing meetings, whenever an ambulanceis required. The keys were given toComdt. Anthony Lawlor by MichaelSmith T.D. and afterwards a socialevening was held. One of our members,Mrs Jacqueline O’Gorman, received theVoluntary Carer Award last year. Thisyear she travelled to England andDonegal and worked as Supervisor. Sheis well qualified for the position.

Tomás O’Connell, our former

Chairman, entered St. Patrick’s College,Thurles, some time ago to study for thepriesthood. He will be ordained next Juneand we wish him well in his sacred min-istry. We would also like to rememberMrs Sheila Slattery, a nurse fromClonmel, who died recently. She gavelectures to the Fethard Branch some yearsago. We hope to start lectures in the NewYear on ‘safety in the workplace’. Weheld them some time ago and they provedvery popular, being requested again. Aknowledge of first-aid is very necessaryin present day factories and farms whereso many accidents happen every day.

We invite new members to join,they will be very welcome, and it mighteven help them in their future careersas nurses or carers.

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If I could paint a Pictureby Paddy Carroll

This is one of the lesser-known poems of Paddy Carroll, Kilnockin.He gave it to me almost 40 years ago and I still have the original

copy in Paddy’s handwriting. (Tony Newport)

If I could paint a pictureOf the scenes that are in my mind

I’d picture dear old IrelandIn the days long left behind

It would be a simple memoryOf the days I used to know

And here is the way I’d start to paintThe scenes of long ago.

I’d paint a leaf of shamrockThat emblem I love all the while

I’d paint the tears old Ireland has shedAnd I’d wipe them away with a smile

I’d paint all the sunshine and leave out the rainAnd I’d bid every sorrow depart

Then that picture of old, I’d frame with the goldThat lives in each true Irish heart.

Then I’d paint a simple homesteadWith a grand old couple thereAnd I’d wipe away the sorrow

From a brow that’s wrought with care.Beneath those dear old raftersIn that home just let me rest

For it’s there you’ll find the happinessThat true hearts love the best.

Lament for an Irish Motherby Tom McCormack

For the short time that I knew herI really did admire

Her vibrant personalityLike a warm winter’s fire

Her love of all things GaelicWhich shone out clear and bright

Like a crackling, flickering, bonfireAt the stillness of the night

I wish I’d known her betterFrom her I would have gainedThe measure of true Irishness

Which she lovingly proclaimed.But the will of God has twarted me

His reasons I don’t doubtLike the morning’s bonfire embers

The spark has flickered out.

Clashawley Piratesby Mrs Nora Gough

Composed by Mrs Nora Gough, originally for her annual production of the schools pantomime circa 1937-’38.

(Words supplied by Georgie Matthews and Tony Newport)

We’re pirates bold and we sailed the seasFrom the Valley to Cloneen

We wallowed in gore at Rathcoole foreshoreWhen we captured Carraigeen.

We came ashore at Coolmoyne HeadThat made the natives splutter

We made a raid that left twenty deadAnd choked the rest with butter.

We struck a rock at SparragoleaTook a share in a plot on the GreenStove in our bows at Kerry St pump

And captured Farnaleen.

We sailed the Clashawley from east to westAnd battled its raging swell

Which caused our boys to loose their zestBut we could not loose the smell.

"The Clashawley Pirates" led by Jim O'Sullivan (Jnr) Chemist.

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It’s November and the spirit of sum-mer is fleeting away. The trees

have lost or are quickly losing theirfoliage. The swallow has taken his leave.The bleak leaden clouds obscure the wholesky and lie like a pall over the earth.

With the clamour and clutter of mod-ern living it’s a very useful thing to havepictures of tranquil scenes in mind, tobrighten our hearts when they are low,when hurt, or when loneliness breaksdown our defences. I believe it is scenesfrom nature mostly, which create a moodenabling us to ‘take things as the come’and shrug the shoulders.

Only last week, Beardy, my faithfulcompanion, came with me for our after-noon ramble. There was a measure ofurgency in our steps, as we took a coursein the direction of Móin Beag where an

old boreen leading over Market Hill waslately cleared of scrub. On the way wepassed by the remains of Saint Martin’sTemple where in times past stillborninfants were laid to rest within its walls.Whenever I pass this relic of the distantpast, Longfellow’s poem ‘The Reaperand the Flowers’ comes readily to mind.We’ll quote a few lines here:

My Lord has need of these Flowerets Gay,The Reaper said, and smiled;

Dear Tokens of the Earth are they,Where he was once a child.

They shall all bloom in fields of light.Transplanted by my Care,

And saints, upon their garments white,These Sacred Blossoms Wear.

We are nearing our goal as we passby Crean’s family farm. Over the yearsand through neglect, bramble and thorn

Highways and Byways by Jimmy McInerney

Pictured, this summer, during the clearing of the Strylea walk to Rocklow Road are L to R: Joe Kenny, Johnny Burke, David Sceats, Tom McCormack, Miceál McCormack and Jimmy O’Shea.

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growing at the sides of the boreen madeas it were a third hedge in the middle ofthe pathway. Chivalrous in spirit anddevoted to what needed to be done thewayside is now open to all. While we satin our armchairs those fresh-faced con-servationists Jimmy O’Shea, TomMcCormack, Johnny Burke and MiceálMcCormack – all members of our local‘conservation corps’, put in many sum-mer evenings clearing scrub, thorn andbriar from our byways, insuring therights of those who value pedestrianindependence and enjoy what theseancient places have to offer.

A short distance travelling south-wards we notice a gateway, the stone pil-lar has a niche or recess in the centrewhich I gather was, in times past, thepostman’s deposit box. It was here at thisspot, and in the recess, that the Americanletter was eagerly awaited; hopefully,with good news, from a husband, son, ordaughter forced to flee the hill during thepost famine. The saying was, “SendJimmy to America where money growson trees. He could get some and send itback to us”.

As we continue southwards, eldersand thorns cross their green branchesforming a complete arch and casting adelicious shadow — it is in the shadowthat we enjoy. The summer part of thepath is barred by a gateway but beyondthis point it continues its straight courserising up a gentle slope turning west-wards. My attention is drawn to an ashscantling growing out of the bankside.Its resemblance to a forearm bent in salu-tation is striking, if not surprising, as theash tree is known to be mannerly andurbane. Further progress and we areskirting plantation land growing acres ofcommercial timber, where not too longago dairy cows munched the soft grass or

were led out to pasture. Beneath thegolden bloom of the furze, green finchesrose with sweet notes from the longgrass. But listen, the song of the robin isclear and lively. They are the very spiesof the woods, there are no thrushes, noblackbirds, finches, nor even sparrows.In September most birds have ceased tosing, but there is honeysuckle still flow-ering and the gossamer is a sure sign ofautumn. The haws are red, leaves arefalling, so, it is goodbye to summer flow-ers. From hence the boreen (as yet unfin-ished) becomes wider and rougher atevery step and has its outlet on the browof Market Hill road (Andy’s Gap).

The wanderer who cares to stray offthe highways is likely to stumble overthe homes of earlier generations.Evidence is there to bear out this reason-ing that along with what remains of oldfruit bushes tell their own tale. Formyself I like to wander reflectively downthe old boreens where livestock went tomarket, where hawthorn and bramble,briar and hazel put forth their leaves.June roses open their petals on the briarspleased to remember a time when thescent of new mown hay from the mead-ow wafted over the countryside.

Before I go, it’s ‘hats-off’ to Johnny,Tom, Jimmy and Miceál who selflesslywith bloodied hands and under threaten-ing skies cleared a little oasis for us totraverse at will. We, all of us, shouldapplaud this new awareness. The ‘conser-vation corps’ is part of the council fornature and functions under the auspices ofFethard’s Historical Society. Membershipis open to all who would wish to partici-pate in this work, others who would still beinterested in supporting such projectscan become associate members.Information on future ‘task’ programmescan be had from any of the above.

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of tremendous benefit to them. We wouldbe more than delighted to hear from any-one who could give us advice and help inorder to use them to best advantage.

A big ‘thank you’ is extended to ourParents Association who recently organ-ised a table quiz to raise funds. Last Junethey launched an essay competition forfifth and sixth classes. The essay ‘Sport— what it means to me’, was won byBrian Kennedy and he received a £50sports voucher. The Parents Associationalso helped with supervision of swim-ming classes in the second term. Boysfrom all classes had the opportunity toattend lessons at Clonmel SwimmingPool and received badges and certificateson completion.

Martha Sheehan’s work with the boysin ‘speech and drama’ was a great suc-cess. A performance of their work tookplace in June and parents saw first-handhow well the boys participated and

St. Patrick’s Boys National School1998 was a year of great change for

St. Patrick’s Boys NationalSchool. Mrs Alice Quinn retired thissummer after many years of dedicatedteaching. Her presence and commitmentis missed by all. Many have fond memo-ries of their First Communion day and theimportant role she played in preparingthem for it. We wish her a long andhappy retirement. We also extend a heartywelcome to Carmel Lonergan who hasbeen appointed to our staff and who isteaching first and second classes.

During the summer holidays someimprovements were made to the school.These included the installation of a newboiler, new toilets and new blinds in theclassrooms. These improvements werelong overdue and we hope that pupils willcontinue to treat all school property withrespect. Our computer room is practical-ly up and running. Our pupils will havethe use of five computers and this will be

St. Patrick’s Boys School Sixth Class ‘98. Back L to R: William O’Brien, Shane Walshe, Paul Kenrick, JamesSmyth, Ronan O’Meara, Brian Conway, Darren Sharpe and Catriona Horan (teacher). Middle Row L to R:

Cian Moloney, Mike Kelly, Connie O’Flynn, David Sullivan, John Leahy, Gerard Walsh, Brian Kennedy.Front L to R: Michael Leahy, Damien Shine, Bill Walsh, Cathal Brett, Mark Lawless and Francis Lonergan.

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enjoyed the work. We have decided tocontinue lessons again this year.

Our school tour last June had a strongtheme of water! Senior classes went toClara Lara — a water based activity parkin Wicklow. Junior classes went toTrabolgan in Cork. Luckily the rain heldoff until the journey home although theboys probably wouldn’t have noticed if the‘heavens’ had opened on them!

1998 was the first year we has no FirstCommunion class as it has now been moved tosecond class pupils. However, forty-six of ourboys received the Sacrament of Confirmationon May 15th.

On a competitive note our pupils wereneither lacking in enthusiasm or ability!Alan Bourke was selected to play for theTipperary schools football team. Manypupils took part in a soccer tournamentorganised by Gerry Lawless and spon-sored by An Garda Síochána.Congratulations and thanks to all.

Various art and craft competitions

were entered, some results of these were:Alan O’Connor and Dave Gorey won goldmedals at the community games. Justrecently, Cathal Maher came first and sec-ond in the watercolour section of theFethard Flower Show. In athletics, DavidSullivan took third place in cross-country,which was held in Horse and Jockey. BillWalsh and Richard Gorey received certifi-cates for participating in the TipperarySchools Swimming Competition.Participating in the inters-chool footballleague is underway. Our U/13 team madea disappointing start against Thurles buthave recovered beating Templemorerecently. Our U/11 team are through to thesemifinal. Best of luck to both teams.

In September a non-uniform day wasorganised to raise money for Hospice.Almost £65 was raised for this very wor-thy cause.

Finally, we would like to wish every-body a happy and peaceful Christmas.“Athbhliain shona daoibh go léir!”

Winners of the school soccer league final. The final was played in atrocious conditions watched byMiddlesborough Scout, Freddie Murray, Clonmel. Medals for the winners and runners-up were spon-sored by An Garda Síochána. Back L to R: Freddie Murray (Middlesborough Scout); P. J. Morrissey,

Patrick O'Brien, Michael Lawrence, Connie O'Flynn and Garda Mairéad O’Farrell who presented themedals. Front L to R: Michael McCarthy, John Leahy (captain), Stephen O'Meara and Dermot Culligan.

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The Kenny family grocery businesswas started by Lory Kenny over 76

years ago in the Green, and, believe it or not,the original plaster and dash finish is still onthe house where the business started.

When Lory died in 1962, leaving ayoung family, his wife, affectionately knowas Mon, continued the business on her own.The long hours Mon spent in the shop overthe years kept the business thriving in a timewhen many small shops were closing.

Larry Kenny was only 14 when hisfather died. While working in Dublin hemet and married his wife Rosena beforereturning to his native Fethard in the midseventies, to open a hardware shop adjacentto the family business. He then took overthe family grocery business and transferredit to his 1,000 square feet premises nextdoor. He subsequently joined the Centragroup and with the future in mind has nowincreased his floor space from 1000 to 2,700square feet. In doing so Larry has invested£300,000 in the business and in keepingwith Centra’s standards and developmentpolicy, Kenny’s Foodmarket includes abutchery, wine section, hot food and deli

counter along with the usual groceries, fruitand vegetables, sweets, confectionery andnewspapers. It is the first premises inFethard to have automatic doors and also thefirst in Fethard to utilise computer scanningwhich means that prices are updated imme-diately at the tills and orders can be sent orcharged by means of computer.

Fethard’s largest foodstore aims toprovide quality food and receives deliver-ies from the central depot three times aweek. Kenny’s is open from 7.30a.m until9p.m every day of the week and has a staffof over twenty on the payroll. “The exist-ing shop”, said Larry, “was inadequate forthe modern standards required.” There wasnot enough space to cater for people’srequirements and eating habits which havechanged over the years.

The Centra Supervalu Group nowaccount for 25% of the grocery market inIreland, he points out. In the meantimeLarry and Rosena aim to provide a fullshopping service for the locals andthough it is early stages yet, Larry feelsjustified with the investment and theresponse from his customers.

Over 75 years trading

Kenny’s Centra Foodmarket

by Liam Cloonan

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Arecent programme on RTE, de-picting a family eviction in

Ireland and the house razed to theground, brought back memories of simi-lar stories told to me by my grandmotherand my father over seventy years ago.They had been victims of similar circum-stances in 1902 when my dad was onlysix years old and they were forced fromtheir home which they saw it go up inflames. Of course they were not alone asa lot of poor and underprivileged fell vic-tims to the brutality of unscrupulouslandlords in those dark days.

I also remember being told of aneviction and seizure in Kilbury nearCloneen. All the cattle were taken to thepound in Clonmel and put up for auctionand when the auctioneer asked for a ‘bid’

the owner stepped forward and said,“These cattle are from Kilbury, offer agood price”. When the potential buyersheard the word “Kilbury” there was nobidding so the cattle were not sold andsome kind of compromise had to bearrived at.

There was also another story of thedark days about a family burned to deathat Ballynattin over in Peafield/Cloranarea. They had migrant labourers fromKerry digging out the potatoes and whenthey came out after a dinner of yellowmeal ,‘stirabout’, and sour milk, the han-dles of their spades had been labelledwarning them to leave the area (appar-ently they worked cheaper than locallabour). They refused to leave and thatnight at suppertime the door was tied,

My youthful days in Killusty

Killusty group from the 1950’s. Back: John Quinn, Chris Grant, Jackie Cahill, Tom Ryan, Jimmy Walsh,Connie Ryan, Joe Hanrahan, Bill O’Brien, Christy Lee. Middle: Connie Cahill, Tommy Kearney, Ned

Sheehan, Johnny Whelan, Tom Tobin, Pat Corbett. Front: Willie Cahill and John Donovan.

by Johnny Sheehan

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and the thatch set alight and everybodyburned to death including the woman ofthe house and her infant child. Theywere unable to escape through the win-dows, as in those days all windows wereextremely small because the rent wasassessed on the number and size of win-dows — hence all the old houses hadsmall windows. This atrocity is not spo-ken of very much, at least it didn’t get thesame media coverage as the ‘Burning atBallyvadlea’. A lot of our local ancienthistory is gone forever with our forebearsand gone also are a lot of the families weonce knew, especially from the slopes ofSlievenamon, an area that was once ahive of activity. All the small holdingswith a few sheep, cattle and pigs, goingto the fair in Fethard, getting up at 3 a.m.that morning. Most all of these peoplehad a pony or a jennet and a mountain carand you could hear the pony-drawn carsnoisily travelling the boreens.

I remember Jamsie Birmingham andhis sister Mary living near Walshbog,‘Cummer’ on Cloran Hill on a summer’sevening. They would play the bagpipes in

their yard and we used to hear the musicwafting along the valley below. On theClaremore side of the Anner, you hadPaddy Davis who used sit outside his doorand play the melodeon. We could also hearhis music as it wafted along the valley.

At that time you had the train fromFethard to Clonmel every evening and asit passed through Grove Wood the driverwould blow the whistle. That was exact-ly at twenty past four. There was also abell on Robert O’Shea’s in Cloran and itused to ring at 7 a.m., 12 noon and 6 p.m.for the workmen to start or stop. Therewas another bell in Grove House so wealways knew the time of day. The oldclock we had used to be called a ‘wall-wagger’ and had long since retired fromservice. I can still see it in my mind withits two weight chains and pendulum, butno hand movement. We had no need fora clock as nobody was going any where.Times were extremely hard in the 30’sand 40’s but improved for us as we grewup and went to England in the early 50’s.I hope to write about that era next year.In the meantime, “Thank you’ England”.

Patrician Presentation SchoolThe 1998-’99 academic year com-

menced on August 31st after a‘refreshing’ summer, if not one blessedby endless hot summer days. Our leav-ing certificate class were now almost ontheir way to greater third level institu-tions having achieved excellent results,followed by a very enjoyable ‘Debs Ball’held in Kilcoran Lodge.

A new feature of this academic yearis the ‘class assembly’ for each yeargroup which gives them a few minutes toreflect and catch up on school newswhich may have slipped their notice on abusy school day. Traditionally, the ‘set-

tling in’ period of the first few weeks isfull of hustle and bustle and this wasadded to this year by the erection of anew extension comprising two extrarooms. Now that these are almost com-pleted, “all’s quiet on the western front”once more.

Our sixth years (‘Grease Gang’ of’98) have the hard graft of preparing forLeaving Cert ahead of them and our firstyears are experiencing secondary schoollife for the first time. On Monday,October 28, Canon Power P.P. celebratedthe opening Mass of the school year. Theentire school and staff were in attendance

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and Kevin Hickey was the musical accom-panist. On Wednesday November 4,Archbishop Dermot Clifford paid his bian-nual visit to the school and a prayer servicewas held.

It wasn’t all work and no play for thesixth years either, as they travelled out ontwo occasions to Cork to see productionsof ‘Hard Times’ and ‘Macbeth’ — both onthe programme for 1999.

The 1998-’99 transition year got off toan energetic start by visiting Brú Ború andthen travelling to Delphi for an enjoyablefew days outdoor pursuits at the centrethere. Presently they are rehearsing for theforthcoming production of ‘Me and MyGirl’ which will commence its run in theAbymill Theatre on Dec. 18th, hopefully,following in the wake of a highly success-ful ‘Godspell’.

The Pádraig Pearse Perpetual Trophyfor excellence in junior cert results was

awarded to Eoin Doyle, now in transitionyear, and was presented by Mr. ErnanBritton, school principal. Other achieve-ments which come to mind during the pastyear, were the 1798 Rebellion competitionsuccess of Marissa Roche, Patrice Tobinand Noelle Leahy, all three of second year,and Yvette Walsh and Rebecca Carroll,also of second year in the YoungEntrepreneurs Competition.

Of course the huge success of the yearwas the winning of the All IrelandVolleyball on Saturday March 21st, wherethe girls gave a thrilling performance inLimerick and won comfortably. Theircoach and P.E. teacher Bernie O’Connorhas since, with great joy, welcomed a newsporting enthusiast to her home, babyNiamh. Our football, hurling and camogieteams all did very well, and Denis Burke ishoping for an even better year to come.

The transition year ‘Concern’ debating

Mr. Ernan Britton, principal Patrician Presentation Secondary School presenting Eoin Doyle, Strylea, Fethard,with the ‘Pádraig Pearse Perpetual Memorial Cup’for his academic excellence at the school this year.

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team of Aideen O’Donnell, JohnLonergan, Ross Maher, Thomas Grant andLisa Hanrahan are about to meet NenaghC.B.S. as I write, and so we hope that allgood luck goes with them. As the circle oflife brings us closer to the Millennium we,

the students and staff, extend our greetingsto you, and our hope that despite the plea-sure and stress of points and results we willremain true to ourselves and to you, ourfriends. To all of you , near and far,Christmas Peace!

ALL IRELAND CHAMPIONSFethard put some disappointments of recent years firmly behind team when they captured the

all-Ireland cadette (under-17) 'A' volleyball title in Limerick on Saturday 21st March. An origi-nal entry of 60 schools had finally come down to two with Fethard facing Presentation

Convent, Galway in the premier 'A' final. Beaten in the 'C' final of 1996, Fethard could haveopted for 'C' or even 'B' but a string of victories propelled them into 'A' and they reserved their

very best form for this game. When Fethard's Aisling O'Riordan took a Galway smash fromwithin inches of the floor and returned a rocket to the other side of the net for an 8-3 lead, theGalway girls were beaten psychologically even though they played gamely to keep the scores

close. However, a straight sets victory reflected Fethard's greater fitness, technique and focus.Such was the Fethard dominance that the final lasted only 31 minutes, an incredibly short timein volleyball terms. The score was 15-5 in the first set and 15-8 victory in the second set. Theall-Ireland trophy was accepted by Irish international, Rachel Outram and the Fethard joy was

complete when Aisling O'Riordan took the MVP (most valuable player) trophy to the greatdelight of Fethard coach, Bernie O'Connor. Fethard squad Back L to R: Jean Morrissey,

Siobhán White, Edel Fitzgerald, Deirdre Keane, Mary Lee and Bernie O'Connor (coach). FrontL to R: Mary Doyle, Aisling O'Riordan, Rachel Outram (capt.), Nora O'Meara, Audrey Conway

and Marie Houlihan. The trophy was last won by Fethard back in 1974.

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The Badminton club, based in theTown Hall, has resumed activi-

ties for the 1999 season under the watch-ful eye of chairman and coach, Pat Ryan.Practice sessions take place on fournights per week, Monday to Thursdayinclusive. Over twenty people play reg-ularly and help maintain the great tradi-tion established in the forties and fiftiesby the Fethard Badminton Club.

At the AGM, Pat Ryan was electedchairman with secretarial duties com-bined, with the finance portfolio going toFiona Lawrence. Team selectors are PatRyan, Catherine Morrissey and GerBrowne.

The county leagues will not start thisyear until after Christmas, so competi-tion is underway for ladies’ and men’sleague and cup competitions. The club’sforth division team comprising of PatRyan, J.P. Connolly, Ger Brown and

Andrew O’Donovan contested the coun-ty final in Cashel on Nov 29th.Likewise, Miceál McCormack, JamesDorney, Matt O’Shea and Noel Sharperepresented the club in the sixth divisionfinal on the same night and venue.

On Friday Nov. 27th at Hillview,Clonmel, Pat Ryan contested the CountySingles Final in the forth division.Valentine O’Dwyer will represent theclub in the sixth division final. OurThird Division Cup Team is: CatherineMorrissey, Fiona Lawrence, AislingKenny, Catherine Kenny, Pat Ryan, J. P.Connolly, Ger Browne and AndrewO’Donovan. Our Sixth Division Cupteam is: Monica Hickey, Mary Shanahan,Freda Hayes, James Dorney, MattO’Shea, Miceál McCormack, NoelSharpe and Val O’Dwyer.

Happy Christmas to all former play-ers and our friends throughout the world.

Fethard First Division Badminton Team in the 1950’s. Back L to R: Sean Henehan, JimmyMcCarthy, Frank McCarthy, Cly Mullins, Tony Newport. Front L to R: Laura Ward, Betty Holohan,

Mary (Kenny) Newport, Marie (McCarthy) O’Sullivan, Pat (McCarthy)Walsh and Áine Tierney.

Fethard Badminton Club

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include the Irish language and all that itconnotes with its richness.

Granted, I did have tuition from myfather in the construction of essay writ-ing. Homework compositions during myspell in secondary school included ‘IrishEmigration’ and ‘The Actor and his Art’.Coincidentally in the years to follow Ibecame an emigrant and a Fellow ofPlaywrights and Pen all associated withthe actor and his art.

Even though my father wasn’t a totalbookworm, he kept a large collection ofbooks and always seemed to enjoy a goodread. And there was no scarcity of booksin my father’s parents place in Kiltinan,both of whom were teachers inCoolmoyne and Killusty. Likewise, mymother’s parents were also teachers in the

Thoughts from an Emigrant’s Room

This is the beginning of ‘TheNational Year of Reading’. I must

admit that during my earlier years book-reading was the last thing on my mind. Ijust wasn’t interested. I felt I didn’t haveto be trapped into “Literature” when a ful-filment in many of Fethard’s gamepowerswas there for the taking. Hurling and foot-ball, card playing at Newports, Bretts andMcDonnells, horse racing and theClonmel Greyhound Track, rabbit huntingwith a pack of up to 14 dogs, as well as theodd game of Pitch and Toss which wasagainst the law and kept some members ofthe Gardai on active duty. English wasn’tamong my favourite school subjects.Maths and commerce were my prioritiesand were to be an enormous benefit in mycareer as an accountant. I must also

by Jimmy O’Donnell

Pictured at Brett's Pub window, Main Street. L to R: Tony Newport, Cly Mullins, Percy Dillon, Jimmy McCarthy and Jimmy O'Donnell. Taken on the 8th May 1949 by P. O'Sullivan.

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Bansha area, had a fine library andalways supported the fact that books cantake you into almost every country in theworld. But up to this point I still wasn’tinterested in putting my head in any book.Listening to those who respected booksand adored the written word I did, I sup-pose, consider at intervals if books wouldever open the windows of wonder to me.

Leaving school I was employed bySean Henehan, Auctioneer, who had salesof furniture every month, and greyhoundsales at Clonmel. Happy times, simpletimes. During that period I clerked athorse and greyhound racings for MichaelO’Keeffe, Philly O’Meara, Dick Hayes,Dick McCarthy, Johnny Moynihan andBill Quinlan. Those racing assignmentswere theatrically funny and entertaining.Michael O’Keeffe based his looks onClark Gable and would render song aftersong when homeward bound whetherwith gains or losses, it made no differ-ence. He would always sit in the frontpassenger seat of a hired hackney ownedby Gussie Morrissey of Grove. Michael’sseat became known by some as the uppercircle and by others as the orchestra pit.Bill Quinlan, on the other hand, varied inhumours. Winning he was a joy tobehold, having the natural art of creatinga smiling audience, but losing, he was inthe wars. At one Leopardstown racemeeting losses far exceeded Bill’s bud-get. That was the day I learned a newvocabulary in English literature.

Another night at Clonmel Dogs I wasworking for Michael O’Keeffe. A grey-hound called ‘Tobequitehonestwithyou’was among the runners. Michael’s inter-pretation of the word, as he yelled outtwo-to-one was ‘Tuberculous’. I heardtwo fellows behind my back who werestudying form remarking that, “Your manthe bookmaker knows something the

greyhound must be diseased with T.B.”In the Autumn of ‘49 I left for

Birmingham with Maurice Harringtonand Jim Heffernan to join my late brotherSean who had arranged accommodationfor us. I was fortunate to have lodgingswith Denis and Mary O’Keeffe. Denis,from Coolmoyne, being a family connec-tion and Mary, from Carlow, had servedher time in Powers Bookmakers Office inFethard. It was my home from home forfour years with happy memories. We allfound work easily enough — Sean andmyself in the cost accounting offices inthe Austin Motor Works, Jim Heffernanin the sales department and Mauricejoined an accounting company. We soonsettled in joining the Gaelic League, Irishlanguage classes and other activities, andformed a good circle of friends fromalmost every Irish county as well as Scots,Welsh and the friendly, homelyBirmingham people. I joined St. Anne’shurling club, and was selected on theWarwickshire County team but my biggesthurling thrill of all was being on the sec-ondary school team which won the CrokeCup beating Thurles in the final. Also onthe team were Paddy Kenny, Jimmy Finn,Pat Stakelum and others who are nowrecorded in hurling history’s pages.

We established St. Patrick’s Club inBirmingham’s Bournville Hotel, where weran dances. After four years inBirmingham we all went further afield.Sean and Jim to Canada, Maurice toLeamington Spa and I went to Londonwith a Mayo colleague, Sean McCann, amaster baker and columnist on ‘food ingre-dients’. London was far more impersonalthan Birmingham. Fortunately, we hadfriends already there and eventually settledin. I ended up in Wimpeys Head Officedoing cost accounts and budget proce-dures, where I gained a vast experience in

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modern accounting controls on multi mil-lion contracts as far away as Lima, HongKong and Hirfannli. Entertainment wasmore or less the same as Birmingham.London had its majestic theatre-land,which eventually grabbed me. InBirmingham I already got a taste of drama,enjoyed a little writing there and gotawards for essays and short stories and theodd poem. I won the Sullivan Dunne andMcInerney Cup for an essay on Irish histo-ry, a huge trophy and success followed suc-cess with medals and book tokens.

After three years in London and nowmarried, a decision was made to set uphome in Dublin. After some time I got apost as accountant office manager. Nosooner had I been appointed when offerscame for a post in the Department ofEducation. I was also offered a clericalvacancy in Aer Lingus and Thurles sugarfactory but I remained steadfast to what I

was doing. Later I joined a civil engineer-ing and contracting company where I waseventually placed on the Board ofDirectors carrying projects on KevinStreet College of Technology, the IrishManagement Institute, and the FourCourts. In later years I worked in variousareas of RTE. I found Dublin a great cen-tral point for many activities from sport totheatre to the salt of the earth “Dubs” withtheir wit as well as the humours of thosewho came from different parts of thecountry. An offer came to me from theEvening Herald to submit articles I hadalready written — ‘Poetic Emigrants onthe Old Kent Road’, ‘A gathering ofCelts’, ‘Poems from a Navvy’s Room’ allunlocked from amusing and delightfulexperiences across the water. Eventually Iwent on to write a play titled ‘The Curse’about our unfortunate Northern troubleswhich got an award at Listowel. My next

Bill Quinlan at Fethard Hunt some years ago

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play ‘The Movements of Mr. Brooker’ astory based on the brushwork by thefamous painter Degas to explore thetheme of his paintings. This won aWhitehead Award and was produced atthe Peacock Theatre. The producer wasBarry Cassin who was a member of theAnew McMaster Company when theyplayed in the Fethard town hall duringMcMaster’s touring schedule. JohnCowley (Tom Riordan of The Riordans)who originally made his acting debut inthe town hall with Louis Dalton wasoffered the principal part but had theatri-cal commitments in Australia. The partwas taken up by Martin Dempsey. In thisplay I feel I touched once again on anemigrants hope of returning where thecharacter comes on stage reciting,“Peace, quiet, this little town ofGarretstown, the hole in the wall theycalled it. Ah! for the dear gone past lifting

a memory, like the movements of an eyelooking and searching for the formulathat’s incomplete” Having had radioplays produced as well as other contribu-tions, I will shortly have radio storiesslotted in between programmes.

Looking back one could, I suppose,speak volumes of one’s native place andtravels. As Nicky English (Tipp. hurler)said to me above in RTE., “Fethard is agreat place to be”. Viewing the Dublinmountains from my home, I visualiseSlievenamon in its mystic crest of blue,and Killusty and Kiltinan with their ownpastoral scenes that reared families of thecalibre of the Lees of Loughcopple, mostof them County Footballers and certainlygreat people to have known, theSheehans, and indeed other great charac-ters in this twin parish which finds voicewith its Fethard neighbours in many partsof the world.

A link with the pastPictured above with Mrs Christine Byrne (seated), wife of the late Mick Byrne, Killusty, are the three local

Tipperary medal winners in the 1998 All-Ireland Junior Football Championship. L to R: TommySheehan (Fethard), Willie Morrissey (Tullamaine), Noel Byrne (son of Mick Byrne) and his son Damien

Byrne (Killusty). Mick Byrne was the last All-Ireland football medal holder from the parish, won in 1934.

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Designer Rosemarie Walsh, Cur-raghtarsna, Fethard, was chosen to

compete in a prestigious SmirnoffInternational Fashion Awards held in DublinCastle on May 12th this year.

A fashion design student in LimerickSenior College, Rosemarie hopes to use theexperience as the springboard to a top career.“I have always designed clothes from thetime I discovered that I had a talent for it”says Rosemarie.

Rosemarie is a daughter of Sean andJosephine Walsh. Her father, also known as‘Glamour’, was renowned in the county forhis stylish hurling skills.

The brief for this year’s awards was‘Metamorphosis’ and students were asked toexplore the idea of fashion’s Metamorphosis cre-atively, and progress their ideas to produce twogarments, one commercial and one avant-garde.

Designer Rosemarie Walsh

Fethard to Fethard WalkersPictured above are the ‘Fethard to Fethard’ walkers and helpers on their return from a 52-milewalk from Fethard-on-Sea, Co. Wexford, to Fethard, Co. Tipperary. The walk commenced on 26

June this year and finished on Sunday 28 June. All proceeds go to local charities.

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The Cross Stop is a convenienceshop located at the junction of

Main Street, Kerry Street, The Valley andthe Cashel Road. Close to theCommunity Ballroom, it was formerlyknown as the ‘Cross House’ and was theresidence of the late Johnny Halpin andhis wife Margaret (nee Ryan) who wasbetter known locally as Peg. I am surethat many emigrants can still pictureJohnny Halpin propped up with his bicy-cle bringing his cows home to be milkedor from the house to one of his fields onthe opposite side of the town.

The basic structure of the CrossHouse is retained but the entrance wasenlarged and the interior totally altered totake shop shelving and fridges. The CrossStop was opened by Tom Hennessy on 26July last year. A grand-nephew of the latePeg Halpin, Tom learned the supermarkettrade with Supervalu in Tipperary. He got

the idea of opening the shop from hismany visits to Fethard when he found itdifficult to find a shop opened, particular-ly late at night or on a Sunday afternoon.To ensure that no others meet with thesame problem, Tom Hennessy opens theCross Stop from 7am until 11pm — asthe sign on the wall says, from early tilllate. Along with sweets and cigarettes,groceries and confectionery are available.You can also drop in for a paper or a baleof briquettes.

Take away food has proved to be verypopular at the Cross Stop and the serviceincludes breakfast rolls, sausage rolls,salad sandwiches and salad rolls. As partof a new service you can now have a bigdeal breakfast to take away whichincludes sausages, rashers, puddings andegg. A convenient service which is prov-ing to be very popular from a convenientshop at the cross on the Cashel Road.

Convenience Shop by Liam Cloonan

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St. Bernard’s Group Homes wereset up in Fethard in 1975 to care

for children and young people who canno longer live at home. The Homes arein the care of the Presentation Sisterswho had previously been based inDundrum House, now a modern luxuryhotel and golf course.

At present, twenty children andyoung people reside at St. Bernard’s –numbers fluctuate as children are fostered,return home or leave to commence inde-pendent living. Our goal is to provide asnormal and meaningful a life as possible ina genuinely loving and supportive envi-ronment. All the children and young peo-ple in our care are given every opportunityto attend school and are encouraged to pur-sue their own interests whether in localcommunity ventures, dancing, sport, holi-day camps, guides, etc. We have alwaysbeen fortunate that there is a quiet under-standing of our work locally. We are verygrateful for the extra funds that make thequality of life better for our children andyoung people. In 1995 St. Bernard’s cele-brated 20 years in providing a setting

where brokenness can be healed andyoung people can begin again to live a fulllife.

In September this year, Sr. ÉilísBergin, who has worked in St. Bernard’sGroup Homes for the past eleven years,left Fethard to take up a new position asProvincial Councillor and is now based atthe Provincialate in Dublin.

Sr. Éilís was born in Durrow and edu-cated with the Presentation Sisters there.She entered in Kilkenny in 1965 and sincethen has served in Durrow, Ballingarry andFethard. Having qualified as a Primaryteacher in Carysfort, Blackrock, sheenjoyed working in the educational fieldand did further study in the Institute of St.Anselm, Kent. Sr. Éilís’ interest in facili-tating groups of people has taken her to theUnited States, France, Australia, Malta,China and many other locations where shehas given workshops on stress manage-ment, and the Enneagram. She speaks toschool staff and to young people preparingfor interview. While at St. Bernard’s, Sr.Éilís continued the tradition began in 1975.We wish her well in her new position.

St. Bernard’s Group Homes

St. Bernard’s Group Homes, Rocklow Road

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It’s that time of year again when weare asked to put our thoughts togeth-

er for the Annual Newsletter. It’s hard tobelieve that a year has gone by since lastwe set about this task. Well, this year, likethe previous one, has kept us busy. Thereis never a dull moment and I am alwaysstruck by the generosity of all thoseinvolved with their time and commitment.

The Patrician Presentation ParentsAssociation is a very worthwhile organi-sation as it helps keep parents informed ofschool policies, plans and activities. Italso helps to promote a better understand-ing between management, teachers andparents. By holding various fundraisingevents during the year we help raisemoney for the school, which Mr. Britton,principal, always puts to good use.

We held three such events that provedvery successful — the Christmas hamperdraw, table quiz and church gate collec-tion. Our sincere thanks to all those whosupported and helped us in any way.During the year we also helped out at anumber of school activities: the party afterthe transition year show, the entrance

exam day for incoming first years andtheir parents, the mock interviews, theleaving cert and transition year Masses.We also attended regional meetings inThurles.

We held our AGM on 14th September‘98 and the following officers and com-mittee were elected: Chairperson PatsyLawrence, Vice Chairperson Rita Kenny,Secretary Marie Corcoran, AssistantSecretary Yvonne Walsh, Treasurer BettyWalsh, Assistant Treasurer Denis Burke.Committee: Gerry Fogarty, ClareHannigan, Margaret Doocey, MaureenMaher, Mary Hanrahan, Judy Doyle,Noreen Maher. Teachers: PaddyBroderick, Denis Burke and Ernan Britton.

It was decided that the money raisedduring the year should be spent on acquir-ing new books for the school library. Weall agreed that anything that helped to pro-mote reading among our young peoplewas indeed very worthwhile.

A sincere thank you to our outgoingcommittee. Best wishes for 1999 to all ourfriends and supporters. Best of luck to allthe students sitting exams next year.

Patrician Presentation Parents’Assoc

Starting school in Junior Infants class at Killusty National School are L to R: Nathalie Cahill,Grangebeg; Leanne Sheehan, Loughcopple; Anita Pollard, Fethard, and Seamus Holohan, Killusty.

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William Lonergan started busi-ness as a smith and farrier in

the early 1800’s just inside the town wall.More than likely an ale house or shebeenwas included as the premises waslicensed when the licencing laws wereintroduced in 1833. When WilliamLonergan died in the 1870’s his son P.J.took over and operated a grocery andhardware business along with the bar. In1952 the grocery and hardware sectionswere discontinued. Around 1963, PaddyLonergan, the present owner, introducedthe lounge bar to the business and inkeeping with the changing times it wasextended and became known as theForge Tavern in 1966 to cope with theballad boom. Many famous names likethe Dubliners and some of the Clancybrothers are associated with Fethard’sForge Tavern. It was also the placewhere some of the locals got their firstbreak in the entertainment business.

Paddy started ‘pub grub’ in Fethardin the mid eighties. He can still remem-ber the Thursday in 1990 when LuciPavarotti, who was in Coolmore, calledfor lunch. Some years ago he changedthe name back to P.J. Lonergan and onJune 14th this year The Sunday World’s‘Pub Spy’ featured Lonergan’s as a com-fortable establishment having to admitthat there was something quaint about thetoilet arrangement. He was surprised tofind pristine clean modern facilities.

To compliment the fine selection ofales, wines and spirits along with thewholesome lunches available in the barfrom Monday to Friday, evening dinneris now available in the Forge Brasserie atLonergans. The Forge Brasserie is run byMark and Diana Richardson who workedin nearby Coolmore for approximatelytwo years. They started on October 31stwith Mark looking after the front ofhouse and Diana responsible for the

Fethard’s Brasserie

Mark and Diana Richardson with Paddy Lonergan in the intimate Forge Brasserie

by Liam Cloonan

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kitchen. The Brasserie opens at 6.30pmand last orders are taken at 9.30pm. Itopens from Tuesday to Saturday and,according to Mark, they started the busi-ness because they saw the need for theservice. They are delighted with theresponse and are very encouraged withthe level of repeat orders. The a-la-cartemenu is simple combining the best of

local produce which is properly cooked,attractive and well presented. Accordingto Mark, Diana adds that special touchwith the presentation and introduces thecustomers to sauces, chutneys and jellieswhich compliment the dishes. TheBrasserie at Lonergans is attached to theBar and can cater for small groups but inany event booking is advisable.

Census of Ireland 1841Civil Parishes in Fethard and Killusty Catholic Parish 1841

FETHARD PARISH(Total Families: 936, Total People: 4,410)

Fethard Town: (Families: 852,People: 3,915), Commons: (F:45, P:226),Fethard: (F:14, P:92), Garrainch: (F:9,P:61), Glebe: (F:1, P:11), Grove: (F:1,P:8), Gurtagea: (F:1, P:4),Knockboorden: (F:3, P:24), Knockbrack:(F:1, P:5), Money Park: (F:0, P:0),Moonbeg: (F:4, P:30), Moonmore: (F:0,P:0), Spittlefield: (F:5, P:34).BAPTISTGRANGE PARISH(Total Families: 103 - Total People: 782).

Baptist Grange: (F:16, P:121),Clonakody: (F:9, P:71),Currageensharough: (F:16, P:124),Drumdel: (F:8, P:69), Lakefield(Ballygambon): (F:18, P:121), MiltownBritton: (F:18, P:152), Newtown: (F:9,P:61), Sladagh: (F:8, P:51), Tuoreen:(F:1, P:12).BARRETTSGRANGE PARISH(Total Families: 68, Total People: 424)

Barretts Grange: (F:18, P:108),Barrettstown: (F:18, P:130), Crossard,(Crossaun): (F:3, P:21), Glebe: (F:0,P:0), Glenagaddy: (F:11, P:69), Monroe:(F:18, P:96).KILTINAN PARISH(Total Families: 180, Total People: 1,296)

Ballinaclera: (F:1, P:9), Buolough:(F:30, P:201), Cappadrummin: (F:14,

P:67), Clarebeg: (F:2, P:13), Claremore:(F:12, P:94), Grangebeg: (F:12, P:87),Killavally: (F:5, P:41), Killusty South:(F:10, P:69), Kiltinan: (F:27, P:220),Loughcopple: (F:4, P:51), Moonbarron:(F:2, P:8), Rathkenty: (F:10, P:70),Tinrush (Killusty North): (F:28, P:200),Tullow: (F:8, P:61), Walshbog: (F:15,P:105).TULLAMAIN PARISH(Total Families: 104, Total People: 688)

Bullockpark: (F:2, P:16),Coolmoyne: (F:20, P:136), Railestown:(F:5, P:29), Rathbrit: (F:10, P:58),Rathsalla: (F:14, P:80), Rosegreen:(F:21, P:143), Tullamain: (F:32, P:226).PEPPARDSTOWN PARISH(Total Families: 176, Total People: 1,215)

Cramps Castle: (F:17, P:102),Curraheen: (F:21, P:123), Everard’sGrange: (F:4, P:29), Farranshee: (F:10,P:86), Higginstown: (F:2, P:12),Knockkelly: (F:39, P:307),Peppardstown: (F:3, P:25), Rathkenny:(F:41, P:302), Saucestown: (F:16, P:87),Tinnakelly: (F:23, P:142).RATHCOOL PARISH(Total Families: 243, Total People: 1,677)

Anne’s Gift: (F:10, P:79),Ardsallagh: (F:2, P:10), Ballintemple:(F:9, P:59), Ballybought: (F:4, P:26),Ballyvaddy: (F:16, P:97), Carrigeen:

supplied by Michael Hall, Drangan

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(F:19, P:126), Coolanure: (F:17, P:113),Coolmore: (F:11, P:76), CoolmoyneFennel: (F:38, P:239), CoolmoyneTaylor: (F:11, P:70), Curraghscarteen:(F:12, P:78), Derryluskane: (F:23,P:162), Farranaleen: (F:7, P:42), Glebe:(F:0, P:0), Grangeduff: (F:3, P:27),Gurteen Shamrogue: (F:4, P:27),Kilnockan: (F:25, P:172), Prospect: (F:4,P:33), Rathavin: (F:7, P:62), Rathcool:(F:5, P:59), Rock Low (F:2, P:23),Saucestown: (F:3, P:19), Slainstown:(F:1, P:12), Slainstown North: (F:2,P:11), Slainstown South: (F:8, P:55).COOLMUNDRY PARISH(Total Families: 48 - Total People: 350).

Bannixtown: (F:7, P:68), Bawnkeal:(F:0, P:0), Butler’s Land: (F:2, P:12),Byrnskill: (F:1, P:10), Castle Higgins:(F:0, P:0), Friar’s Grange: (F:12, P:68),Quarter Cross: (F:9, P:53), Raheenrue:

(F:6, P:48), Roebuck’s Land: (F:8, P:59),Strike Lower: (F:2, P:13), Strike Upper:(F:1, P:19).KILBRAGH PARISH(Total Families: 52 - Total People: 362).

Bauntaunvoher: (F:3, P:17),Glanasland: (F:3, P:17), Kilbragh: (F:6,P:43), Lowe’s Green: (F:3, P:30),Railestown: (F:8, P:67), RathmacartyEast: (F:14, P:78), Rathmacarty West:(F:11, P:76), Tullamain: (F:4, P:34).KILCONNELL PARISH(Total Families: 101 - Total People: 655).

Buffana: (F:17, P:145),Caugherbawn: (F:34, P:189), Kilconnell:(F:31, P:205), Kilsallagh: (F:19, P:116).REDCITY PARISH(Total Families: 36, Total People: 238)

Madam’s Land: (F:1, P:13), RedCity: (F:15, P:99), Brodeen(Bishopland): (F:20, P:126).

Paddy Dalton HonouredThe County Tipperary N&B

Association of New York hon-oured Fethard’s Paddy Dalton by makinghim ‘Guest of Honour’ at their 124thAnnual Banquet held at Riccardo’s, NewYork, on Sunday March 22nd.

The President, in her address at theBall said: “Tonight we honour a great Gaelfrom Fethard. He is as proud of his Irishculture today as he was when he arrived inthis great land in 1954. He is of a uniquefew who had the honour and expertise towin no fewer than five Tipperary seniorhurling medals in five consecutive N.Y.Championships. Congratulations Paddy.”

Paddy was a member of the Tipperaryteam which won five N.Y. hurling champi-onships in a row, and a member of thegreat Cork football team which madePaddy a dual winner on the same day in1955. He also represented New York as an

all star in hurling and football in the fifties. Another of those unforgettable days

in the life of Paddy Dalton took place in1958 when he married the beautiful MaryEllen (Nellie) Rockett, who comes fromCarrick-On-Suir, Co. Tipperary. Thishappy union was blessed with four love-ly and loving children, Frances, John,Marie and Michael.

After arriving in New York Paddywent to work for Merchants RefrigerationCompany. He remained there for over 15years. Paddy then went on to work for theNew York Transit Authority until he retiredin 1989 – but not for long. After making afew memorable trips back to Ireland,Paddy was asked to take a job as a securi-ty guard at John F. Kennedy InternationalAirport. Paddy said, “OK, I’ll give it a tryfor a few months.” He must have fitted inwell, as he is still there and enjoying it. He

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says he is playing out his last quarter, andis contemplating asking for a sub.

His family and friends joined in salut-ing Paddy for his sterling contributions toGaelic sports in Ireland and the USA. TheTipperary N. & B. Association is proud to

pay this tribute to Paddy Dalton. Bestwishes from all the members of theAssociation to Paddy, Nellie and family onthis great occasion.

May good health, happiness and pros-perity follow them into the future.

Irish Volunteers 1914This photograph was supplied by Joan Merriman, Dublin, featuring the Irish Volunteers in

Fethard in 1914. The postcard was belonging to her mother, Mrs Creed, who worked in FethardPost Office at that time. Michael O’Donnell, from Owning, gave us the following information:

“These volunteers often drilled about Kilnockin and they used guns made of timber. But this wasnot unusual as I recall Major Hughes telling me that when he went to Cahir (I think it was) totrain he also had to use a wooden gun because of the shortage of armaments. My father also

told me that the later, post-1918, Volunteers were trained by Paddy O'Donnell of The Green andDick Butler from The Valley. Both had seen service in the British Army. R. M. O'Hanrahan was

the Officer Commanding. Row 1: 1. Ned Sheehan, Red City; 2 John Ryan, Sparagoleith; 3Mickie Napier, Rocklow Road; 4 Jack Fitzgerald, Main St.; 5 not known; 6. Martin Tierney,

Kerry St.; 7. Willie Walsh, Monroe; 8. Jim Carty, Sparagoleith; 9. Paddy Gleeson, Knockelly;10. William Carey, near The Abbey. Row 2: 1. Jimmy Brien, Market Hill; 2. John O'Fitzgerald,The Back Green (later of St. Patrick's Place); 3. Tom Corcoran, The Valley; 4. not known; 5. not

known; 6. not known; 7. not known; 8. Piery Napier, Abbey St.; 9 Mickie Mara, Burke St.; 10.Tom Finn, Burke St. Row 3: 1. Jimmy Connell, St. John's Hill. 2. Dave Hayes, Mockler's Terrace.Row 4; 1. Patrick O'Flynn, Burke St.; 2. P.J. Henehan, Main Street; 3. not known; 4 not known;5. not known; 6. not known; 7. ? Power, Rocklow; 8. Willie Leahy, The Green; 9. not known; 10not known; 11. Larry Doyle, Back Green; 11. 'Oily' Keating, The Valley. Row 5: Patrick Daniel,Watergate St (the man with the beard and large hat); this was all he recalled in this row. Row 6:

Did not know anybody. Row 7; Only knew Ned Cummins, Ball-alley (And which he was I nowdon't know as I did not mark his features accurately).”

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Anew 350 page hardback book“Dictionary of Tipperary

Biography’ will catalogue the influenceof Tipperary people world wide withmany Fethard personalities included.Price is £25 and can be ordered from:Martin O’Dwyer, Cashel Folk Village,Cashel, Co. Tipperary. Tel: (062) 65225.

Fethard Connections

The Ulster finalist in this year’sRose of Tralee contest,

Amanda Dunne (pictured above) hasstrong Tipp connections. Amanda isfrom Cavan but her grand-mother wasEileen Cummins from Cashel Road,Fethard while she often visits hercousin Richard Cummins who stilllives there. She has an aunt, NoreenNugent, and a grand uncle, EdwardCummins, both in Clonmel, and agrand uncle Jim Cummins inBohermore, Cashel.

Amanda’s Tipp roots

John Stokes who recently returnedfrom Australia and is now residing

in Fethard with his New Zealand bornwife, Melissa, and daughter Caroline hasjoined the firm of Stokes & QuirkeLimited, 9, Sarsfield Street, Clonmel(opposite the Clonmel Arms Hotel).John, son of Dr. & Mrs Patrick Stokes,Main Street, Fethard, went to Australiaafter graduating from university withB.Sc. in Estate Management wasemployed by Richard Ellis theInternational Property firm.

John is a direct descendant (4th gen-eration) of the original founders of thefirm Stokes & Quirke, which was found-ed in 1896. Tel 052 21788 Fax 05221326 Mobile 086 8213777

Back from Australia

New Tipperary Book

More videos for hire than ever by Liam Cloonan

In December 1991 Night Owlopened its rental video shop in

Fethard. To cater for the increasingdemand the shop in Main Street soonneeded to be enlarged. In October 1997Con Ryan temporarily moved next doorto the vacant premises owned by AliceHolloway. A year later he moved back tothe totally refurbished premises and he isgrateful to Alice for her assistance.

Due to the improvements to the premises,

Con Ryan says that customers can now choosefrom about 1500 videos. Along with all the lat-est and popular titles he also provides videogames, Playstation, Nintendo 64 and someolder Sega Mega-Drive games.

The Night Owl video shop opens sevendays a week from 11.30am to 10pm, closing forlunch from 1.30 and 2.30pm. Times may havechanged but it is nice to know that in Fethardyou can still obtain an average of 2 hours enter-tainment from between £1.00 and £2.50.

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The past year was a very enjoyableone for Fethard Macra na Feirme.

With some great wins in competitionsand with weekends away and the usualactive social life there was something foreveryone to enjoy.

Our Christmas party was held inCahir House Hotel. We joined forceswith most of the other clubs in the Southto make it one of themost enjoyable par-ties ever. We had anextremely success-ful year as regardscompetitions. Ourdebating team ofDavid Corbett,Mairéad Croke,John Fitzgerald andCorina Morrisseymade it to the All-Ireland DebatingFinal and were veryunlucky to be beat-en on the night byC a s t l e b l a y n e y .Special thanks mustgo to BrendanMorrissey andPamela O’Donnell(nee Morrissey -more on that later) who filled in so ablyas substitutes when needed and of courseto the debating coach, Martha Sheehan,who as always gave much needed helpand inspiration over many months ofpractice and was always there with wordsof encouragement. Thanks Martha!

In other competitions, BrendanMorrissey won both the South andCounty titles in the Impromptu PublicSpeaking and was only narrowly beatenin the regional final. However, he was

determined to taste victory and he did soby winning the All-Ireland Senior SheepStockjudging title at Tullamore Show.

Fethard Macra also made it to theAll-Ireland finals of the Know YourAgriculture team quiz and to the All-Ireland Mixed Volleyball final. We alsowon the South title in the Macra Caperscompetition and our Ladies Soccer team

have recently quali-fied for the soccerfinals. We were alsoawarded the club ofthe year trophy atCahir Show duringthe summer.

Our greatestsuccess in competi-tion was when clubmember LorraineMorrissey wascrowned MacraQueen of the Landin Tullamore inNovember. Thiscompetition washeld over three daysand Lorraineimpressed everyoneconnected with thecompetition with her

winning ways and was by all accounts avery popular winner. She has a very busyyear ahead of her with various competi-tions to judge and also a trip to Americawhere she will appear on CNN television.All in the club congratulate her and wishher all the best in the coming year.

As always we continue to playvolleyball, soccer, bowling and go swimmingon a regular basis. This year we decided toorganize drama workshops with a profession-al facilitator and these have proved to be very

Fethard Macra na Feirme

Lorraine Morrissey - Macra Queen of the Land

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successful and may be repeated this year.On a community level, we have mem-

bers on the Community Council and onthe Fethard Ballroom committee. We alsocontinue to hold our annual Table Quiz forthe St. Vincent de Paul

As usual in Fethard Macra romance isalways in the air. Many congratulations toDeclan Morrissey and Cathriona Horanwho will be taking a trip up the aisle in1999. If Declan needs any tips on organis-ing the wedding he can always ask his sis-ter Pamela who beat him to it when shemarried Dermot O’Donnell on a glorious

Saturday in August. To both couples, thevery best of good fortune and happiness.At our AGM the following officers wereelected: Chairperson: Corina Morrissey,Secretary: Mairéad Croke, Treasurer:Patricia Morrissey PRO: Amanda Kelly

If you are looking for a way to meetnew people, travel, learn new skills, takepart in competitions or just to have a bet-ter social life and if you are aged between17-35 then Macra na Feirme is just theorganisation for you. Any member of ourcommittee or any club member would bedelighted to hear from you.

Sister Philomena steps down

This year Sister PhilomenaO’Brien, St. Ursula Retreat

Center, Blue Point, New York, steppeddown after 16 years as centre director.

People come from all over to the cen-tre — the place is booked until the nextmillennium — to findsolitude, peace and spiri-tual growth. But whenthey get here, they fre-quently find it difficult toturn off the busy buzz oftheir lives. SisterPhilomena tells them,with a trace of a gentlebrogue, to reflect on apassage from Jeremiah29: “For I know well theplans I have in mind foryou . . . when you lookfor me, you will find me.”

It’s a kernel of spiritu-al insight which SisterPhilomena has found rangtrue in her own life. In October, she cele-brated her 80th birthday and steppeddown as director of the Retreat Center, aposition she has held for the past 16 years.

God is everywhere, she tells a visitor,making the theological point before over-whelming him with a half-dozen loavesof freshly-baked bread from the retreathouse kitchen to take home. It’s a matterof opening our eyes to seeing. A Retreat

Center such as St.Ursula’s located near theplacid waters of the GreatSouth Bay, can provide alens to open eyes.

She is counted uponfor such wisdom. SisterPhilomena frequentlyprovides spiritual direc-tion for priests, sisters andlay people who journey tothe Retreat Center. It’s aduty she plans to contin-ue after her retirement.It’s a far cry from when,as a 17-year-old novice,she came here fromFethard in County

Tipperary, Ireland, to join the UrsulineSisters, following a sister and an auntinto the community which was justbecoming established on Long Island.

Long Island Catholic

Sr. Philomena O’Brien

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“I didn’t know anything about theUrsulines at all,” she recalled during arecent interview with The Long IslandCatholic. “I just knew I was going away todo something for God.” That “somethingfor God” developed into 63 years in reli-gious life, a time she spent as a teacher,principal, superior for her community, andretreat director. At every stop, she said,she learned more about God’s presence inher daily life. “I see the hand of God ineverything we do. Sometimes he’s a Godof surprises,” she said.

As a teacher at Our Lady of GraceSchool in Howard Beach, Queens (one ofher students was Yankees’ manager JoeTorre), Sister Philomena communicatedher love of learning. While she was there,from 1939 to 1959, she earned a doctor-ate in history from St. John’s University.

After six years as principal of aschool in Connecticut, she took on whatmay have been her most demanding job:from 1965 to 1975, the height of the tur-bulent post-Vatican II era, she wasprovincial of her community.

“It was the hard times when every-thing was changing,” she recalled. SomeSisters at the time argued that morechanges were needed: others contendedthat the community needed to retain moretraditions. “You had to meet all the needs,”she said. “People were leaving very rapid-ly in numbers that were never heard ofbefore.” But she recalled that her faith didnot waver. “I knew there was somethingbehind it all. There was a God.”

Since her term as provincial, she hasfocused on retreat work. Much of thattime has been spent in spiritual direction,a process in which people come to herand talk about how God is working intheir lives. It is a delicate task, she said,something for which she prepared foryears at a Jesuit Center in Canada.

Before meeting someone for spiritualdirection, she said, “I pray a lot, I ask theLord to inspire me with thoughts betterthan my own.”

Business has never been better at theRetreat Center, a phenomenon, as high-lighted in a recent article in TimeMagazine, which is happening aroundthe country. The growing numbers ofretreatants tell a story about a burgeoningspiritual awareness in the wider culture,said Sister Philomena.

“People are tired of all the material-ism. It doesn’t satisfy them,” she said.“There’s a real thirst for God and spiritu-al growth,” she said.

Old friends meet

Ned Power (right) sent us this photograph ofhimself and his next door neighbour Tod Keating

who met for the first time this August after 48years. They both contacted and arranged to

meet after spending a holiday in Fethard. Bothwere reared in St. Patrick’s Place.

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Ahearne, Joe, Fethard Arms, Fethard,Ahearne, Mona, London N4Ahearne, Paddy & Kitty, FethardAllen, Augustin, GrimsbyAllen, Vincent, EdenderryAnglim, George K., Texas, USAAnglim, Monica (Woodlock), New JerseyArkell, Joan (O’Donnell), WarwickArmstrong, Monica (Dwyer), NorthamptonAugustinian Abbey, FethardAylward, Mrs. Mary, BrayAylward, Tony & Paula, NaasBarnard, Brian, Castine, MaineBarrett, Angela (McCarthy), ArdfinnanBarry, Michael, KilkennyBarry, Rev. Fr. Michael, BorrisoleighBogue, Michael, ClonmelBoland, Claire (O’Neill), DunlaoghaireBourne, Mary (Sheehan), Cape Town, S.A.Broderick, Paddy & Nell, FethardBurke, Eamonn & Nora, Tralee, Co. KerryBurke, James, San FranciscoBurke, Kevin, Illinois, USABurke, Patrick, Milwaukee, WisconsinBurke, Patrick J., Santa Monica, CaliforniaBurke, Patsy (Byard), KillenauleButler, Jenny, FethardButler, Kitty (Hayes), ThurlesButler, Sean, LisronaghByrne Healy, Peg, New JerseyCanty, Mary (Casey), TramoreCarey, Johnnie, FethardCarey, Sr. Paula, Howard Beach, N.Y.Carroll, Mary (Morrissey), NuneatonCasey, Michael & Katherine (Delaney), CambridgeCassells, Austin, Wolverhampton, EnglandChrysanthemum Show CommitteeClarke, Jim, FethardClarke, Mrs. Anne, London NW10Clarke, Sean, Marlfield, ClonmelCoady, Johnnie & Mary, DorsetCoen, Michael, London W1Coffey, Rita, New RossColville, Peggy (Ryan), FethardComerford, Esther (Nevin), KilkennyConnolly, Jimmy & Ann (O’Neill), FethardConnolly, Joan (O’Meara), BallybunionCorcoran, Grace (Smyth), SligoCormack, Paddy & Jimmy, Kilnockin, FethardCountry Markets, FethardCroke, Wm., London SE3, EnglandCrowley, Maura (Butler), BallynealeCummins, Dick & Margaret, Main Street, FethardCummins, Ellen & Eddie, ClonmelCummins, Grainne, Hampshire (‘97 & ‘98)Cummins, Gus, PeterboroughCummins, John, Dublin 5Cummins, Liam, Clonmel

Cummins, Owen & Donal, New YorkCummins, Sheamus & Theresa, FethardCummins, Tom & Ellen, GoatenbridgeCurran, Timmy, Welwyn Garden CityCurtin, La (Walsh), FethardDalton, Claire (Morrissey), London NW10Dalton, Joe & Annie (Sayers), PeterboroughDalton, Paddy, Howard Beach, N.Y.Danaher, Mrs. Bridie, London W14Dawson, Martina (Murphy), CappamoreDelahunty, Eddie, Market Hill, FethardDelany, C.P., Parsons Hill, FethardDelguidice, Peggy and Mick, London EC1Devlin, Rainy (Healy), West VirginiaDevlin, Rev Mgr B. P., GibraltarDineen, James, CaliforniaDonovan, Mrs. Tess, Crawley, West SussexDowney, James, BournemouthDuggan, Brigid (Treacy), ClonmelDuggan, Eugene, Christchurch, New ZealandDuggan, Paul, Den Haag, HollandDuncan, Mary (Bulfin), Capetown, South Africa.Dwyer, Geraldine (Fitzgerald), Newmarket On FergusEvans, Bob & Karin, GermanyEverard, Richard, HollandFadugba, Joan (Pollard), London NW6Fagan, Mrs. Mary, Naas, Co. KildareFahy, Brigid (O’Dwyer), New YorkFallon, Elaine, New YorkFarrell, John, Boldmere, West MidlandsFennell, Kathleen, MiddlesexFethard Bridge ClubFethard Civil Defence UnitFethard & District Coursing ClubFethard Historical SocietyFethard Juvenile GAA ClubFethard Judo Club (Trustees)Fethard & Killusty Angling ClubFethard Legion of MaryFethard Senior GAA ClubFethard to Fethard Walkers CommitteeFinn, Simon, Cornwall, EnglandFitzgerald, Con, Bradford, West Yorkshire,Fitzgerald, Michael & Mary (Carroll), FethardFitzgerald, Paddy, WrexhamFitzpatrick, Thomas, Bronx, New York Flanagan, Frank & Rita (Fitzgerald), BristolFleming, Jack, FethardFlynn, Denis, Redhill, SurreyFlynn, John P., YorkshireFlynn, Pat, West Yorkshire, EnglandFogarty, Joey & Leish, FethardFogarty, Joseph, TramoreFox, Andy, ThurlesFrewen, Willie, TramoreGildea, Josie (O’Connell), Romford, EssexGleeson, Francis (Walsh), ThurlesGleeson, Pauline (Ryan), Boherlahan

Donations ReceivedAcknowledged below are donations (£5 and over) received from readers and organi-sations up to 30th Nov. 1998. We would like to thank you for your generous support

including all those who wished to remain anonymous. Please send donations to:Carmel Rice, Annual Newsletter, Brookhill, Fethard, Co. Tipperary.

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Glover, Bruce & Jane (Napier), Sawtell, AustraliaGluck, Kathleen (Morrissey), Isle of WightGorman, Alice (Halpin), Naas, Co KildareGorski, Alice (Fitzgerald), MiddlesexGough-Risk, Mrs. Patricia, CaliforniaGrimson, Douglas, Queensland, AustraliaGunne, Sean, ClonmelHackett, Austin, YorkshireHaide, Theresa (Quinlan), Bucks.Harrington, Liam, Dublin 16Harrington, William, CavanHayes, Anne (Byrne), Illinois, USAHayes, Dr. J.G., ZimbabweHayes, Jimmy & Sally, FethardHayes, Joe & Mossie (McCarthy), FethardHayes, John, Toronto, CanadaHayes, Pat & Mary (Anglim), QueenslandHayes, Rev. Fr. Matthew, BathHayes, Willie, RoscreaHeffernan, Larry & Inger, Oslo, NorwayHeffernan, Paddy & Joan, Ballyvaden, FethardHehir, Mary (O’Dwyer), Bronx, N.Y.Hennessy, Mary (Skeehan), ColemanHetterley, David & Frances (Kenrick), HerefordHickey, Mrs Stephen, Lixnaw, Co. KerryHickey, Patricia (Heffernan), BennettsbridgeHoey, Cathleen (Murphy), Birmingham, EnglandHolohan O.F.M., Bro. Declan, Dublin 8Hopkins, Mary (O’Connell), Victoria, Australia.Humphreys, Doreen, Shrewley, WarwickHunt, Maureen (Mackey), StaffordshireKane, Conor, WicklowKane, Danny & Rita (Kenny), FethardKane, David, EssexKane, Dermot, Dublin 8Kavanagh, Rena (Keyes), WaterfordKeane, John, TullamoreKeane, Mrs Alice, FethardKeating, Tod, CarrigalineKelley Jr., John J., Laurel, MD, U.S.A.Kelly, Geraldine (Fallon), Nass, Co. KildareKelly, Mary (Cummins), Ruislip, MiddlesexKelly, Thomas, St. AlbansKelly, Vera (Stokes), CorkKennedy, Rev. Fr. A. B., PortumnaKenny, Maura (Stokes), Dublin 6Kenny Photo Graphics, FethardKenrick, Joseph E., London NW9Kenrick, Paddy, ClonmelKevin, Sr. Monica, New YorkLeahy, John, Grantham, Lincs.Lonergan, John, CorkLonergan, Paddy, Publican, FethardLonergan, Thomas, PrestonLonergan, William, NenaghLooby, Pat & Ann (Shine), FethardLow, David J., LiverpoolLynam, Ann (Morrissey), Dublin 12Magnuson, Harold & Mary (Hackett), Bellevue,WAMaher, Geraldine, KilkennyMaher, John, Lemington SpaMaher, John & Anne, Southport, USAMaher, M.C. & Eileen, FethardMalone, Mary (Maher), New YorkMann, Bridget (Sheehan), East Ham, LondonMarshall, Frank, Kilkenny

Marshall, Tom & Patricia, PortlaoiseMartley, Sr. Margaret, Lima, PeruMcCarthy, Don, LeixlipMcCarthy, Kitty, Fethard & New YorkMcCarthy, Mrs. S., CambridgeMcCarthy, Sr. Mary J., Blue Point, New YorkMcCarthy, Sr. Vincent, Stamford, C.T.McCormack, Fergus, Copenhagen, DenmarkMcCormack, Mrs.L., New ZealandMcCormack, Thomas, Gwynedd, WalesMcCormack-Herkommer, Lorraine, GermanyMcCormack-John, Rita, Newcastle-Upon-TyneMcGrath, Mick & Kitty, Edgeware, MiddlesexMcLaughlin, Mary (King), Dorchester, Mass.McNamee, Mary (King), Wantage, Oxon.McNulty, Mary (Maher), BedfordMeaney, James J., London SW19Meaney, Michael, IpswichMeehan, Mrs. Ellen, OklahomaMerrick, Sr. Norah, ThurlesMoloney, Patrick F., Bucks.Moloney, Seamus, Okawville, IllinoisMoloney, Tom, NorthamptonMoore, Mary (Gorey), DroghedaMorrissey, Colm, Delgany, Co.WicklowMorrissey, J. J., Tralee, Co. Kerry.Morrissey, Mrs. Joan, Nr. Tewkesbury, Glos.Morrissey, Patsy, Swords, Co DublinMorrissey, Sean, Newcastle Upon TyneMorrissey, Teresa (McCarthy), BallymacarbyMulcahy, Jackie, Lincoln, EnglandMullins, Denis, New JerseyMullins, Margaret, Fethard Folk MuseumMullins, Vincent, North Yorks.Murphy, Ellen (Heffernan), FethardMurphy, Maria (O’Donovan), Hornchurch, EssexMurray, Pat, Watford, Herts.Nagle, Anastasia (Kelly), BanshaNeville, Michael, CorkNeville, Roger, TullamoreNeville, Seamus, TramoreNevin, Chris, Gateway B&B, FethardNevin, Gerry, New YorkNewport, Tony & Mary (Kenny), FethardNichols, Betty (Dineen), WarwickO’Brien, Jane, Floral Park, N.Y.O’Brien, Mary, London NW3O’Brien, Sr. Margaret, New YorkO’Brien, Sr. Philomena, Blue Point, N.Y.O’Callaghan, Sean, FethardO’Connell, Dolly, FethardO’Connell, Don, FethardO’Connell, Jimmy, Romford, EssexO’Connell, Peg (Darcy), Basildon, EssexO’Connell, Peter, Victoria, AustraliaO’Connor, Joan (Brett), FethardO’Connor, Mary, WestportO’Connor, Peggy (O’Shea), London N4O’Connor, Stephen, Devon, EnglandO’Connor, O.S.A., Rev. Fr. John, BallyhaunisO’Donnell, Anna (Mackey), Niles, IllinoisO’Donnell, Jim & Betty (O’Sullivan), MinnesotaO’Donnell, Jimmy, Dublin 16O’Donnell, Joe , Killiney, Co. DublinO’Donnell, Mary (O’Meara), Ontario, CanadaO’Donnell, Michael, London N4

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O’Donnell, Patrick, London NW8O’Dwyer, Joe, St. Patrick’s Place, FethardO’Dwyer, Johnnie & Chris, FethardO’Flynn, Mr & Mrs Jack, Lwr. Main Street, Fethard.O’Flynn, Patrick, Glen Ellyn, IllinoisO’Flynn, Peggy, BallincolligO’Gorman, Paddy, Woking, Surrey.O’Keeffe, Larry & Helen (Cummins), ClonmelO’Keeffe, Michael & Hazel, BirminghamO’Mahoney, Laura (Ward), BallybayO’Neill, Hal, CorkO’Neill, Hugh, Luxembourg O’Neill, Ken, Dublin 6O’Neill, Martin, Six-Mile-BridgeO’Reilly, John, Hemel Hempstead, Herts.O’Reilly, Rita (Walsh), Dunadry, Co.AntrimO’Shea, Patrick, Mexbrough, South YorksO’Shea, Thomas, Perth, W. AustraliaO’Sullivan, Brian & Edith, Ayr, ScotlandO’Sullivan, Donal & Marie (McCarthy), FethardOlmstead, Joe & Rose (Byrne), San DiagoOstler, Alice (McInerney), SouthamptonPaine, Vera (O’Donovan), St. Marys, Cambs.Patrician Presentation, Parents Association, Pereira, Gearldine (White), MadeiraPerkins, Biddy (Power), CheltenhamPhelan, Bridie, FethardPhelan, Kathleen (Elsie), New YorkPius, Sr., ThurlesPower, Marty, KilmacthomasPower, Michael, WolverhamptonPower, Ned, WolverhamptonPurcell, Eamonn, Ballinasloe, Co. GalwayQuerns, Mary (Watts), Middlesex Quinn, May (Moloney), WaterfordQuirke, Mrs. Mary, FethardRed Cross Society, FethardRoberts, Alice (Flynn), South AustraliaRoche, Peggy (Kenny), ThurlesRyan, Joe, Essen, GermanyRyan, John (Boxer), KilsheelanRyan, Mary (Murphy), CashelRyan, Michael J., St. Albans, Herts.Ryan, Mrs. J., London N8Ryan, Noel, SurreyRyan, Philip, Kilcoole, Co. WicklowSayers, Mrs Christine, BristolSayers, Mrs Joyce, BristolSayers Family, St. Patrick’s Place, FethardSharkey, Neil, Galway

Shattock, Jack & Pan (Myles), EssexSheehan, Patrick, London N17Shine, Nessa (O’Donovan), London E7Shortall, Nellie (Fitzpatrick), FethardSkehan, Anne, Coolbawn, FethardSlattery, John, CoolmoyneSlattery, Richard, London NW10Smith, Margaret (Murphy), FethardSmith, Robert, Waltham Abbey, EssexSparks, Kathleen (Murphy), Barking, EssexSquires, May (O’Dwyer), EssexStaehelin, Linda (Kane), GalwayStapleton, Martin & Rita (O’Grady), Dublin 7Staunton, Rena (Stokes), London NW1Stokes, Diana, FethardSullivan, Deirdre (Phelan), Whangarei, New Zealand.Synnott, Thomas, Basildon, EssexSynnott, Tony, Clane, Co. KildareSzwarc, Agnes (Culligan), KentTaylor, Margaret (O’Connell), FethardTidy Towns Committee, FethardTipperary Heritage Unit, Tipp TownTobin, P.J., Dublin 15Tobin, Patrick & Ellen (Walsh), South HarrowTorpey, Kitty (Strappe), Cambridge,Trehy - Halliday, Max, SydneyTumpane, Breda (Lucey), SallinsTyska, Katherine (Sayers), Brooklyn, N.Y.Vinten, Joan (O’Shea), MaidstoneVoss, Eileen (Morrissey), SurreyWade-Palmer, Eileen (Doherty), HampshireWagner, Rita (Fallon), New YorkWaldron, Paul & Joan (Quinlan), ClonmelWalker, Eleanor (O’Donnell), AustraliaWalsh, Anne (Kenrick), Glenageary, Co DublinWalsh, Jim, Hayes, MiddlesexWalsh, Mrs. Agnes, LincolnshireWalsh, Pat, LeedsWalsh, Rita, New YorkWalsh, Tom, Buffana, Killenaule.Walsh, O.S.A., Rev. Fr. Joseph, Victoria, AustraliaWhelan, Jimmy & Susan, PrestonWhelan, Kathleen (Quirke), ClonmelWhite, Eileen (Leahy), DranganWhite, Marie (Dineen), Leamington SpaWhyte, John & Maureen (Mockler), Fethard.Whyte, Michael, LeicestershireWright, Mrs. A., Wantage, OxonWyatt, Paul, San Francisco, USAWynne, Monica (Dwyer), Clonmel

If, for any reason, we have omitted your name, please let us know and we will acknowledge next year.

Articles for publication, mailing list or informationAddress: Editor, Joe Kenny, Rocklow Road, Fethard, Co. Tipperary.

Tel: 052 31663 Fax: 052 31817E-mail: [email protected]

Web Site: www.fethard.comDonations, letters, etc.

Address: Carmel Rice, Brookhill, Fethard, Co. Tipperary.Tel: 052 31134

Annual Newsletter Contacts

SLIEVENAMON PILGRIMAGE — 15 AUGUST 1998

ISSN 1393-2721

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