The cast of this year’s Fethard Players’ production, ‘The Year of The Hiker’, photographed on stage after their performance in the Abymill Theatre. L to R: Colm McGrath, Niamh Hayes, Ciarán Mullally, Pat Brophy, Rita Kenny, Jimmy O’Sullivan and Ann O’Riordan. The play was produced by Austin O’Flynn. Esther McCormack, The Green, Fethard, photographed on the occasion of her 80th birthday with members of her family who joined her to celebrate the special occasion in April . Back L to R: Tishy, Gina, Kieran, Valerie, Marian. Front L to R: Michael, Esther McCormack and John Joe. 2011 FETHARD & KILLUSTY NEWSLETTER FETHARD & KILLUSTY NEWSLETTER 2011 Dedicated to our friends and relations living away from home Copyright © 2011 Published by the Fethard & Killusty Emigrants’ Newsletter ISSN 1393-2721 WWW.FETHARD.COM Layout and design by Joe Kenny, Rocklow Road, Fethard Printed by Modern Printers Kilkenny Front cover: Approaching Main Street from Rocklow Road - Early 1900s Back cover: Abymill Creamery and Watergate - Early 1900s Photographs supplied by Diana Stokes All rights reserved. No parts of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any informa- tion storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author. 1 FETHARD & KILLUSTY NEWSLETTER 2011 Table of contents A time in my life .................. 142 Gold . ......................... 17 A tribute to Harry Ferguson........... 57 Greetings from Bro Paul in Eldoret .... 125 A Winter’s Tale ................... 238 Holohans of Tullow ................. 8 A year of change.................... 3 Holy Trinity National School ......... 244 Augustinian Abbey .................. 7 Irish Girl Guides .................. 123 Badgers Soccer & Social Club........ 163 It feels like home! .................. 26 Bootcamp Tipperary & Gi Joes ....... 134 John Joe’s Corner ................. 242 Boyhood Days! . 164 Killusty Pony show 1962-2012 ....... 216 Bringing in the Hay ............... 167 Legion of Mary ..................... 6 Coolbawn ‘Tug of War’ Festival ....... 72 Life after Killusty School ............. 37 Coolmoyne & Moyglass Vintage Club... 68 Memories ........................ 80 Country Markets .................. 223 Memories of my Grandmother .......184 Crocanoir - the Fethard connection..... 97 Mrs Murray’s Emporium ............ 188 Crocanoir – ‘the crock of gold’ ........ 94 My time in Ghana .................. 46 Days of the Half-Door .............. 208 New Tourist Guide Service for Fethard . 175 Deaths in the parish ............... 206 Newsletter Contact Details .......... 194 Do You Remember 1982............ 104 One of the Dohenys! ............... 135 Donations Received 2011 ........... 192 Our dear departed 2011 ............ 207 Dublin to Kazakhstan via Fethard ....196 Parish Greetings .................... 5 Fethard & District Day Care Centre ..... 12 Patrician Presentation Awards Day.... 256 Fethard & District Rugby Club........ 170 Queen Elizabeth visits Fethard . 253 Fethard & Killusty Community Games ..14 Season’s Greetings from Killusty N.S. ... 78 Fethard Ballroom Ltd ............... 49 Senior Citizens Club ............... 226 Fethard Bridge Club ............... 156 Some of your comments . ......... 232 Fethard Camper Van Parking ........ 225 South Tipperary Military History ...... 219 Fethard Community Playgroup ........ 59 Statia Kealy (1903-2011) ........... 122 Fethard GAA Club.................. 74 T.A. Kenrick & Co. ................ 154 Fethard Historical Society . 127 The Epicurean Review ............. 220 Fethard ICA Guild ................. 222 The man who used to lie on the nails! .224 Fethard Ladies Football Club ........ 158 The scenic route to college .......... 234 Fethard Scout Group............... 100 The Walled Town .................. 56 Fethard Tidy Towns ............... 227 Tipperary House, Grantham ......... 214 Fethard Youth Club 1969-71.......... 81 Vice Principal retires ............... 229 Fethard’s hidden Medieval Roof ....... 51 Wedding Bells and All Ireland Finals .. 177 Fethard’s Unsung Hero .............. 62 World Champions down under....... 180 Gentleman & sometimes philosopher.. 199 2 2011 FETHARD & KILLUSTY NEWSLETTER A year of change by Joe Kenny (editor) This drawing of Watergate, date unknown, was submitted by Diana Stokes, The Square. s we arrive at the end of well off and need our support. Athis current year of change, Fethard is a great place to live. meditation, hardship, emigration and It has all the groundwork in place loss for many people in Fethard and for future generations to grow and Ireland, we find that life still goes on cultivate a rich community life. With and our Irish spirits are lifted up by cheap travel and mobile communi- those who take up the challenge and cations the concept of community make the best of what’s left. We will no longer has geographical limita- survive without doubt. tions, but we all still need a ‘home’ to Community spirit was never embrace our childhood memories, more important than it is today. If family and friends. Many readers of we are to get through this reces- this Newsletter will have lived away sion we will need to support local from Fethard for longer than they businesses, shop local, get involved have ever lived in Fethard and yet in local organisations, particularly their affection for this town pours those whose funding was cut or flowingly in the many letters we withdrawn, and especially help receive every year. That alone makes those in our community who are less this Annual Newsletter, now over 3 FETHARD & KILLUSTY NEWSLETTER 2011 fifty years in existence, worthwhile. sible and all our friends at home When I look back at my own and abroad who very kindly make life the part I remember most is my financial contributions towards the childhood. I remember growing up printing and delivery of the news- on The Green with neighbouring letter. I also thank the great team of families, McCarthys, McCormacks, voluntary helpers who organise the Careys, Trehys, Healys, Sharpes, annual church gate collection and Hanrahans, to name but a few. I still the packaging and posting of the dream of a ‘Green’ reunion that will newsletter to all our emigrants. probably never happen. I take this opportunity to wish all I’d like to thank all the contribu- our readers a very Happy Christmas tors who make this publication pos- and a prosperous New Year. ◉ Anglim family from Knockelly c. 1926. Back L to R: Monica, Paddy, Peggy, Angela Front L to R: Mary, Joan and Bunny 4 2011 FETHARD & KILLUSTY NEWSLETTER Parish Greetings he Irish saying goes, ‘Ní neart better place to call home. We know Tgo chur le chéile’ – there is all who do this feel blessed them- strength in togetherness – Christ’s selves for St. Francis reminds us, ‘It is birthday at Christmas calls us to that in giving we receive!’ togetherness. We thank all the children Jesus came on earth to live as and youth of our parish for the one of us, to call us to unity and joy and happiness they bring, be peace. Each one of us can be as it at their concerts, sports events, in St. Francis’ prayer, instruments of Holy Communion or Confirmation Christ’s peace by our words and day. We also thank our senior citi- actions and in return, be filled with zens who continue to inspire and that same peace and contentment. encourage us all with their joy and Christmas is a time for giving and vibrancy of life and indeed showing it’s good to see that it doesn’t always the wisdom they have been blessed have to be expensive gifts. Many in with down the years. our parish give of their time and tal- May we all be blessed with the ents to others throughout the year joy, peace and hope of Christ’s birth in a voluntary selfless capacity in and go forward into 2012 renewed in various groups and individually. This Him and in one another. ◉ is a blessing to all. Thanks to all who do so making Fethard and Killusty a Fr. Tom and Fr. Anthony Photographed at this year’s pilgrimage to Holy Year Cross are L to R: Christy Williams, Fr. Anthony McSweeney and Gus Maher 5 FETHARD & KILLUSTY NEWSLETTER 2011 Legion of Mary he members of the Legion in publicly demonstrating, respectful- Tof Mary join in wishing ly their love for Our Blessed Mother all our readers a peaceful, happy in attending the May Procession and Christmas and New Year. The past also their love and respect for the year has been encouraging. We true presence of Jesus in the Blessed provided Catholic papers, books Sacrament in attending the Corpus and prayer leaflets for all those Christi Procession. who wished to purchase them. We We invite you to consider join- attended the Rosaries in the various ing the Legion of Mary, or to hand in cemeteries during November with your name to become an auxiliary many of our fellow parishioners. member. Our parish is as strong as The special Rosary in the Abbey on our weakest link. Therefore, let all Sunday afternoons for the month of of us pray for one another and sup- October was welcomed by faithful port one another. Let us reach out supporters. to those persons who need us. We The work of the Legion is not might recall St. Augustine’s words always obvious but is carried on that tell us our hearts are restless silently, quietly. Members are encour- until they rest in God. aged by parishioners who constantly Fethard Legionaries are under attend daily Mass, join in the Rosary the spiritual direction of Father John each day in our Parish Church, join Meagher, OSA. ◉ ‘Ladies on the inside, gents on the outside’ - Fethard Legion of Mary members enjoying a ‘Paul Jones’ at their curia social in the Convent Hall 1970s 6 2011 FETHARD & KILLUSTY NEWSLETTER Augustinian Abbey Very Rev. James Danom OSA, photographed in Ireland where he visited Augustinian priests who had previously worked in Nigeria. Local priests, Fr Timmy Walsh and Fr. Martin Crean, between them, spent 60 years ministering in Nigeria. L to R: Fr. John Meagher OSA, Fr. Gerry Horan OSA (Provincial), Very Rev. James Danom OSA (Bishop of Shandam, Nigeria), Fr.