Businesses in Fethard 1889

From Bassett's Directory of 1889

Fethard, CLONMEL.
Population 1,926 in 1881.—Trout river.

FETHARD is in the barony of Middlethird, on the Southern Railway, 8.5 milcs, English, north of Clonmel. It is usually referred to by the inhabitants as ‘ Fethard, Tip,’ but the correct address, as finally
arranged by the Post-office authorities, is—Fethard, Clonmel. Direct communication by rail with Dublin, 103.5 miles, English, was established in 1880 Thurles, 17 miles, English, north by west, is the connecting point. The town rises gently from a valley, through which the Clashawley, a good trout river, runs on the way to the Anner. It is surrounded by hills, and in the view there are several splendid plantations, old castles, an’1 other striking features. The greater part of the houses in Fethard are slated, and in fair repair. In the principal thorough-fare there are many tastefully fitted and well stocked business establishments. These represent modern progress, and are in curious contrast to the existing castles and sculpture-adorned houses of ancient Fethard, with which they arc most picturesquely intermixed.
Within three years there has been a marked tendency toward improvement in the commercial affairs of the town. Two butter factories have been established, one by Mr. Michael Coffey, and the other by Mr. William Dwyer ; a weekly market on Thurs day has been established for fowl, butter, and eggs, and a pig market is held on the third Monday of every month. There is also a cattle and sheep fair on the third Tuesday of every month. The land of the district, for the most part, has a limestone basis, and is good for pasture and tillage. Oats and potatoes are the chief crops.
A governmental system was organized in 1840 under the 9th of George IV., chap. 82. There are 13 Town Commissioners. Elections are held triennially in July. The last was in 1888. In 1888 the revenue of the town was £137. This was made up from head rents received out of landed property at Market H ill, town houses, tolls of fairs and market, etc. The expenditure during the same year was £133. Of this, £12 was paid for
maintaining 27 oil-lamps in the public streets. The water supply is procured from pumps.
Fethard is a military station under Cahir. One troop of Hussars is usually quartered here.

BEFORE AND SINCE THE ENGLISH CONNECTION.
PRIOR to the coming of the English, Fethard formed part of the territory of the descendants of Fiacha Suidhe, called the Northern Decies. The reign-ing chieftain made submission to Henry II. on his
arrival in the county at the head of an English army, 1171 , but soon afterward reasserted his independence. In the settle-ment of Tipperary by the English, Fethard, from its elevated position in the centre of a fertile country, was chosen for a stronghold . Several castles were built in tIme vicinity, and the town soon grew to be a place of consequence. It seems to have had a charter in the reign of Edward I. Edward III., in 1376, made a grant to enable the Provost and Commonalty to wall tIme town. Henry IV. made a further grant for a like purpose. Edward VI. gave a new charter to the inhabitants containing liberal provisions. James I. granted the last charter. This contained further generous concessions to the Corporation, con-sisting of a sovereign, twelve chief burgesses, a portreeve, and freemen, with power to appoint a recorder, town clerk, an’1 other officers.
Cromwell besieged the town in 1650, but the defense was only continued until favorable terms of surrender could he arranged. The sovereign in that year was James Everard. Two members were returned by Fethard to the Irish Parliament until the Union, 1801. It was then disfranchised, and the two principal owners, Lord Lismore and T. Barton, were consoled with a pay-ment of £15,000.
In 1840, when the town adopted the provisions of the 9th of George IV., the wall enclosed a space calculated by the gentle-men engaged in the Ordnance Survey, to be a quarter of a mile long and one-eighth of a mile wide. There were then four gates. A considerable portion of the wall referred to still exists. It is about 18 feet high and in greatest perfection at the hack of the stables belonging to the military barracks. Only one gate now remains. The last one at the bridge crossing the river to the railway station, was taken down within five years by order of the Grand Jury to widen the passage. The other gates were removed for similar reasons. Of the castles remaining in the town there is one at the back of Mr. T. A. Kenrick’s private house. One belonging to Mr. Murphy, town clerk, has a garden in the top storey. One next to the hotel of the Misses Mockler. Stokes’ Hotel was once the castle residence of a Miss
Everard. It was joined to the gate leading to Killenaule, which was removed about ten years ago. At the opposite side of the street are the military barracks. That part now used for officers’ quarters, with imposing frontage on the main street, was the mansion of the sister of the Miss Everard referred to. Near the eastern side of the Protestant church there is a square castle, four storeys high, with quadrangular windows in chiseled limestone dressings.
Some of the castles in the district are interesting. Kiltinan. on the property of Mr. Robert Cooke, D.L., is one of these. It stands on a rock surrounded by a richly planted demesne, at a distance of about 2.5 milcs, Irish, to the south-east. One of the curiosities of Kiltinan is what is called by the people of the locality, “a roaring spring.” It is an underground stream which flows continuously in the driest seasons.
Knockelly, on the property of Mr. Saml. H. Barton, D L., is about two miles, Irish, from town. This large castle, and the flanking towers on its outer walls, are still in good condition. Mr. Edmund Heffernan is the present tenant. The Everards. if not the actual builders, were for a long time owners of Knockelly. Sir John Everard, a Judge in the reign of James I., resigned his commission rather than take the oath of supremacy drawn by Archbishop Abbott. He was a member of the Irish Parliament, summoned to Dublin, 18th May, 1613, and in the struggle for the speakership, was chosen by the Catholics. During the session which closed in 161 5, it is believed that through his judgment, a very severe penal measure was pre-vented from passing. Sir John was owner of Fethard, and a large part of the district in those days. The estates were forfeited to the Crown after the Revolution for the reason that the then Sir John Everard, Bart., had served in the army of J ames II. He was killed at the battle of Aughrim in 1691, and twelve years later David Lowe received a grant of Knockelly and its belongings. The Barton family succeeded to tIme property by purchase in the 18th century.
Ballinard Castle is about two miles, Irish, from Fethard. It is occupied by Mr. W. W. Tennent, J.P.
Cramp’s Castle, the property of Mr. Edmond Leamy, M.P., is situated at the verge of the town, beyond the Augustinian Abbey. Mr. John Heffernan is tenant.

ABBEY AND CHURCHES—THE CONVENT.
The Augustinian Abbey at Fethard must have been founded early in the thirteenth century. In 1193 the first friars of this Order were brought by the Earl of Pembroke (Strongbow) from Bodmyn. in Cornwall,
to his Abbey at Kells, in the adjoining county of Kilkenny. The
Eremites of St. Augustine acquired some land from Walter de Mulcote for rebuilding their monastery at Fethard, hut as it afterward appeared that this had been given illegally, Edward I. granted confirmation, and a pardon for the offence. He also increased the possessions at the same time, 1306. In the 31st of Henry VIII., the monastery and endowments were granted to Sir Edmund Butler, Knt., at an annual rent of 5s. 4d. Irish. William Burdon was the last Prior. The Augustinians ultimately caine again into possession of their ancient church and friary, shorn of the endowments. Very Rev. James A. Anderson, formerly Prior at Drogheda, since his arrival at Fethard, within a short period has devoted his time unceasingly to the work of restoring this abbey. In the results accomplished, evidence is everywhere afforded of Father Anderson’s sincere respect for antiquity. It is at once seen that he is a restorer, and not an “improver.” Down to March, 1889, he had spent over £1,200. Within one year £800 of this had been received, for the greater part in response to private appeal.
The Protestant Church at Fethard is part of an ancient edifice, with a square tower at the west end, like that of one of the great abbeys. It has many interesting sepulchral slabs. The oldest legible inscription is on the tomb of the Hackett family, 1613, in the interior of the church at the north side. The tomb of Robert Jolly, 1709, is at the south side, lie was the hero of a romance, the leading points of which have been handed down from generation to generation in Fethard, with great fidelity. While stationed in the town as a private soldier he made the acquaintance of a maid servant, named Ellen. Maher. When ordered to duty elsewhere, she, not wishing to be regarded as “the girl he left behind him,” removed to London, and soon became the wife, and in due time the widow, of a wealthy Hebrew. In the latter capacity she, by chance, one day met her soldier-lover. They were married shortly afterward, returned to Fethard in great state, and established themselves at Knock-elly Castle.
The Catholic Parish Church at Fethard is a plain, spacious building, facing the main thoroughfare. It is cruciform in shape, and contains a fine stained window over the high altar. Many of the leading families of the town and district have burial places in the grave-yard attached.
The Presbyterians have had a place of worship here under the Synod of Monster, since 1739. Rev. James Wilson, of Clonmel. is minister.
A handsome Convent of the Presentation Order occupies a choice site near the Catholic Church. The main building was erected in 1870 at a cost, including the ground, of £3,100
Wings built in 1885, including a beautiful chapel, cost nearly. £2,900 Schools built in 1872 cost £1,000. The nuns came from tIme Presentation Convent, Thurles, in 1862.

Auctioneers,
Michael Coffey,
John O’Halloran,
J.H. Sadleir.

Bakers,
Michael Coffey,
Patrick Coffey,
Michael McCarthy,
Mrs. Mary McCarthy,
John Mockler,
John O’Shea,
Mrs. C.L. Slattery,

Bank
Munster and Leinster: Robert Crilly, manager;
Robert D. Tripphook,, acting.

Creameries,
Michael Coffey,
William Dwyer,

Dispensary,
Dr. William. Crean,

Drapers,
Misses M & S Landers,
Michael McCarthy,
Miss M.Maher,
Thomas Mocker,
Mrs M. Murphy
Thomas O Donnell,
Edmond. O’Shea.

Emigration agents:
T.A. Kenrick,
J Richardson.

Flour Merchants,
John Byrne,
Michael Landers.

Druggist,
T.A.Kenrick,

Coal/Timber Merchant,
John Richardson.

Grocers,
Thomas Ahearn, (Also Sprit Merchant)
Laurence Byrne, (Also Sprit and seed Merchant)
Mrs. A. Carew, (Also Sprit Merchant
M.L Coffey ( also Hardware merchant)
Patrick Coffey, (Also seed Merchant)
Mrs. M. Connolly,
David Cunningham,
Patrick Gearon, (Also Sprit Merchant
Mrs. Keating,
A, Kenrick. (also Hardware and seed merchant)
M. Lonergan, (Also Sprit Merchant
J. Mc Carthy (Also Sprit and seed Merchant
Michael McCarthy,
Mrs. M. McCarthy,
J. Mockler,
T. Mockler,
Miss M.. Murphy,
Jas. O’Connell, ( Also Sprit Merchant
Walter O’Donnell ( leather)
Jno. O’Shea, ( Also Sprit Merchant
J. Richardson, ( Also Sprit and Hardware merchant)
J. Schofield, ( Also Sprit Merchant
Mrs C.L.Slattery
Miss Susan Stokes. ( Also Sprit Merchant


Newsagents,
Mrs C.L.Slattery,
John Wall.

Emigration Agents,
T.A.Kenrick,
J. Richardson.

Physicians,
W.Crean,
T.O Connell.

Hotels,
Miss Susan A. Stokes,
Misses Mary and Catherine Mockler.

Loan Fund.
Ven. Archdeacon Ryan, Hon.Sec.
Military Station: I troop 15th Hussars
National League,
R.Burke sec.

Post Cars and Hearses,
A. Duggan,
Michael McCarthy,
Miss S.A.Stokes.


Spirit Retailers,
James Curran,
Mrs F. Maher,

Saddlers,
J. Fitzgerald,
D.O’Shea,

Saw Mill,
Mrs Mary McCarthy,

Victuallers,
Ed. Connors,
David Cunningham,
P. Maher,
R. Maher.

Post Mistress,
Miss E. Smyth.

Railway Station Master,
Michael Donohue.

R.I.C.
F.Philips Seargent.

Schools
Convent Presentation,
Parochial, (Mrs Long)
Patrician Brothers,
St. Patricks Monastery.( Rev. Bro A. Byrne, Superior)

Town Commissioners
P.J.McCarthy, (Chairman)
Dr.W.Crean, Jerh.McCarthy, J.Tehan, Thomas.O Donnell, Michael Coffey, Ed.Dwyer, J.Flynn, Thomas. Heffernan, H.B.Sayers, Michael Daniel, Patrick Maher.
Thomas Ahearne, Michael Murphy

Town Clerk
Michael Bowe

receiver of Rents
Michael Donovan ( Town Sergant)



3 Auctioneers

7 Bakers
7 Drapers
24 Grocers
3 Retail Spirit stores
4 Hardware
1 Seed store
1 Leather
2 Hotels
1 Loan fund (Ven Archdeacon Hon Sec)
4 Victuallers
2 Newsagents
2 Flour Merchants
2 Physicians
2 Creameries
1 Druggist
1 Coal/Timber Merchant
1 Bank (Munster and Leinster)
2 Emigration agents
1 Dispensary
2 Saddlers
1 Saw Mill