Congratulations to John and Margaret Fitzgerald, Monroe, Fethard who celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in October 2013, photographed with their family above. Sr. Monica Kevin OSU, originally from Barrack Street, photographed on a visit to Presentation Convent Fethard in August 2013. L to R: Sr. Clement Wall, Sr. Maureen Power, Sr. Winnie Kirwan, Sr. Monica Kevin and Sr. Celsus Ryan. Front Cover Photograph – Fethard’s Three Centenarians 2013 Celebrating their 100th Birthday this year L to R: Nellie Shortall, Josie Casey and Chrissie Byrne. 2011 FETHARD & KILLUSTY NEWSLETTER FETHARD & KILLUSTY NEWSLETTER 2013 Dedicated to our friends and relations living away from home Copyright © 2013 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 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 2013 Table of contents A Fethard Pre-Nuptial Agreement . 238 From Market to Mill - 100 Years . 126 A fitting Fethard farewell . 152 Graveyard Committee . 5 A Funeral in Lisronagh, 2008 . 16 Great times in Fethard . 244 A Ramble Down Memory Lane . 108 Greengage Summer . 111 A song for Fethard . 238 Holy Trinity National School . 231 A year in Fethard . 200 Irish Walled Towns Network . 226 A year to remember? . 3 Joe Ahearne, Fethard (1920-2013) . 60 An ambush . 216 John Davin, Rathsallagh . 242 An Ornate Double-Arched Bridge . 118 John Joe’s Corner . 240 Augustinian Abbey . 8 Jollys for a coffee . .90 Bulfins and the Fethard connection . 141. Legion of Mary . 6 Burges, William (1806–1876) . 179 Marriages . 205 Car Boot Sale - celebrating 30 years . 228 Memorable trip to Lourdes . 93 Christmas Memories . 243 Moulson Family honoured in Clogheen 171 Convent Community Centre . 169 My memories of Community Games . 94 Coolmoyne & Moyglass Vintage Club . 161 My time in West Africa . 188 Demise of Main Street Shops . 154 Newsletter Contact Details . 168 Do You Remember . 1999 . 37 Our Dear Departed 2013 . 206 Donations Received 2013 . 220 Parish Greetings! . 6 Dush . my boyhood hero! . 101 Rathcoole connection with Nano Nagle 105 Faith in the heart of Tipperary . 208 Senior Citizens Club . 78 Fethard & District Day Care Centre . 167 September ‘72 . 185 Fethard & District Rugby Club . 156 Sing, sing a song . 98 Fethard & Killusty Community Council 163 St . Patrick’s Stone, Rathsallagh . 11 Fethard & Killusty Community Games 134. St . Rita’s Camogie Club . 175 Fethard Bridge Club . 177 Table of contents . 2 Fethard Business & Tourism Ltd . 234 The Capital . 245 Fethard Choral Group . 57 The Day it Began – First Day of WWII . 236 Fethard Fever Hospital 1849 . 12 The Gambler . 114 Fethard GAA Club . 58 The Green, Fethard & World War One . 21 Fethard Historical Society . 80 The many lives of Stevie O’Connor . 148 Fethard Historical Society - 25 Years . 81 The Summer of ‘59 . 181 Fethard ICA Guild . 36 Thirty-eight years teaching in Killusty . 225 Fethard Ladies Football . 63 Three Hundred Years of life . 223 Fethard Piano Exams 2013 . 211 Through the eyes of a brother . 72 Fethard Scouts 27th Tipperary Group 212. Tipp Ladies managed by local man . 69 Fethard Soldiers . 24 Treasures from the Past . .198 Fethard Sports Achievement Awards . .247 Ups and Downs, Ins and Outs . 248 Fethard Tidy Towns . 138 2 2013 FETHARD & KILLUSTY NEWSLETTER A year to remember? by Joe Kenny (Editor) n eventful year is slowly com- if ever, and definitely not by men! Aing to a close. It will be one Local small businesses and some of those special years that many will large businesses took a real hammer- remember for varying reasons, some ing over the past few year’s recession for good and some for bad. and this became very obvious this One of the highlights of 2013 was, year with the closure of XL Grocery and I think we can safely claim, that Shop (formerly Whyte’s Grocery) on for the first time in Fethard’s long Main Street; SPAR Supermarket (Tom history, we celebrated the birthdays Hennessy) at Kerry Street; Newport’s of three centenarians in the parish Newsagency on Main Street, after 93 in one year. Our heartiest congratu- years service to the Fethard commu- lations to Chrissie Byrne (Killusty), nity; and Dawn Fresh Foods Factory, Josie Casey (Derryluskin) and Nellie formerly Lydon House Exports, built Shortall (The Valley) who together on the Killenaule Road in 1974, and have created a unique record that taken over by the Waterford based will not be surpassed for a long time, Dawn Meat Group in 1984. Other 100-year-old Josie Casey, Derryluskin, receives a huge round of applause at a special Mass in Holy Trinity Parish Church Fethard to mark the occasion of her 100th Birthday on September 3, 2013. Josie is photo- graphed here with Fr. John Meagher OSA, Canon Tom Breen P.P. and Fr. Anthony McSweeney C.C. 3 FETHARD & KILLUSTY NEWSLETTER 2013 noticeable effects of the recession, 1993), and in Killusty we have the enforced shorter opening hours for Soccer Club (formed in 1969) and some businesses, tighter restrictions Pony Show (formed in 1962). For in credit, severe cutbacks in employ- the younger generation we’ve had ment, high emigration and, unfortu- various youth clubs based in the nately, also an increase in suicides. old Tirry Club since the 1960s. These If all that wasn’t bad enough to clubs later continued to operate bear, we were also required to pay a from Fethard Ballroom up to today lot more for everyday services along where they are based in the suitably with the new property tax and a equipped Convent Community Hall. metered water supply – a big change Others still surviving today are the from ten years ago when the banks Fethard Scouts (founded January would literally ‘throw’ money at you! 1987) and Girl Guides (founded Another notable feature of 2013 November 1987). Last but not least, was the great work by voluntary the ‘Emigrants Newsletter’ is still sur- community groups and individuals viving since its first publication by who appear to never fail in their the Legion of Mary in 1959. commitment to fellow inhabitants There are many other voluntary and their community. This year groups in Fethard that have, and still alone we have the Fethard Players provide fantastic support to the com- celebrating their 100th anniversa- munity over the years and maybe ry; Fethard Historical Society their someday we will be in a position to 25th anniversary; Abymill Theatre fully acknowledge this contribution its 25th anniversary; not to mention before it is stifled and slowly eroded all the long-standing organisations by ridiculous regulations and indi- that have provided community ser- vidual indifference. vices for decades such as the GAA Fethard is very lucky to have (founded 1887), Legion of Mary such a vibrant community and to (founded 1852), ICA (founded in be such a wonderful town to reside. 1926 by Olivia Hughes), Country This year we may seem to have lost Markets (founded 1947), Community a lot of ground but, as over the past Council (founded as Fethard 800 years, Fethard has adapted and Development Association in 1967), learned how to survive. I have no Community Games (founded 1967), doubt that we will leave this town Day Care Centre (founded 1996), well poised for the next generation Athletic Club NACA (founded 1956), and a better place to live in, like our St. Rita’s Camogie Club (founded ancestors also did for us. 1912), Bridge Club (founded 1975), I take this opportunity to wish all Senior Citizen’s Club (founded our readers at home and away, a very 1982), Meals on Wheels (founded Happy and Holy Christmas and a 1967), Fethard Ballroom (re-opened Very Prosperous New Year! ◉ 4 2013 FETHARD & KILLUSTY NEWSLETTER Graveyard Committee by Gerry Long his year the Graveyard clean- The committee would like to Tup group expanded their thank all those who aided in the amount of activity. The number of purchase of this equipment, princi- cemeteries cleaned went from two pally Tipperary SR. County Council to three when Rathcoole was added who grant aided the committees to the existing Tullamaine and red efforts and whose staff and officials City were also cleaned. were always helpful and courte- Overall the ous towards our cleaning opera- requests. tions were very One of the major well supported by problems which the volunteers who was encountered gave their time during this sum- and labour during mers efforts was of the long summer course the extreme- evenings and did ly good weather a splendid job on which under nor- the undergrowth of mal circumstances briars ivy and grass is to be welcomed. etc. which infested It was however the graveyards. The responsible for Committee greatly extremely fast rates appreciates these of regrowth thus volunteers and making some of the new hands are good work already always welcome. Pat Bourke, John Barry, Jimmy O`Shea, and undertaken moot. Jarlath Connolly at the Marker Cross at The dry sum- Rathcoole Graveyard summer 2013. However by con- mer facilitated the tinuing this work the painting of the Marker crosses in the committee feels that it gets easier graveyards a job that was impossible and more an act of maintenance with the previous years wet weather, from year to year. again we would like to thank our A program of works for the next great team of painters who under- year is already in progress and we took the work. The effort was also look forward to next spring and greatly aided by the acquisition of summer when this program of new equipment, which proved far works can be undertaken.