Community Field Clubhouse Development
Such is the success of the community field that a proposal is now in place to build a clubhouse beside the field. This will provide necessary facilities to the clubs such as athletics, football, rugby and soccer, which are currently using the pitch. The new clubhouse will incorporate dressing rooms/showers with a multipurpose room/gym. The design would be of a simple nature and would allow for further building modules to be added on.

Submissions are been forwarded to the relevant agencies including lotto to obtain funding for the clubhouse. However, to obtain such funding 30% of the overall budget be in our possession before any application can even be considered.

A limited draw will be launched this weekend with tickets at €100 and with prize money of €20,000. This is a great opportunity to support a local community initiative and thereby supporting the young people in our town and surrounding areas. Contact Jimmy O’Sullivan Tel: (052) 32111, John Hurley, Paul Kavanagh, Liam Hayes, Fintan Rice, Pat O’Donnell or Sean Devaney. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Fethard Juvenile GAA Club
The annual general meeting of Fethard Juvenile GAA club was held on Monday last in the Tirry Centre and we thank those parents and members of the senior club that came to support the AGM. The following officers were elected: Chairman - John Hurley; Vice-Chairman - Willie Quigley; Secretary - Caroline Sheehan; Assistant Secretary - Kathleen Maher; Treasurer - Anne Fleming: Assistant Treasurer - Theresa Hurley: PRO - Patricia Fitzgerald; Child Liaison Officer - Patricia Fitzgerald.

We would like to wish our outgoing chairman, Tommy Sheehan, the very best of luck and thank him for the hard work and commitment that he has put into the Juvenile Club. Tommy no doubt will still be a very active member within the club.

The club would like to wish John Hurley the very best for the coming year. He has the sound support of a hard working committee. John is no stranger to the Juvenile club and the best of luck to you.

Training times, selectors and trainers will be finalised by the next meeting due to be held soon. Parents and children will be well informed of these times and names shortly. Here’s to a great and successful year in the Juvenile Club

Fethard Ladies Football Club AGM
The Fethard Ladies Football Club AGM will take place in the Tirry Community Centre on Monday 19th February at 8pm. All junior players are requested to please make a special effort to attend along with parents of underage players and anyone interested in the sport. It is very important that parents of the underage players attend. A large number are in the Club but without parental support we will not be able to continue. So please get involved. Further enquiries to Joe Keane at 087-2050727.

Died Recently
The death has occurred on Sunday 11th February of Peter Napier, The Green, Fethard. Interment took place in the grounds of Holy Trinity Church of Ireland, Fethard.

The death has occurred on Mrs Margaret 'Peggy' O'Neill, Rosegreen, formerly of Congress Terrace, Fethard. Interment took place in Rosegreen.

Fethard & Killusty Community Games
Fethard and Killusty Community Games Committee wish to announce that the closing date for all team entries with the County Board is Wednesday, 28th February. Closing Date in the Area is Friday, 23rd February.

Events usually associated with the area are: u/10 mixed GAA, u/11 Hurling, u/12 Soccer, u/13 and u/15 Indoor Soccer, u/12 Girls GAA u14 Camogie u/11 Rugby which can be boys, girls or mixed u/11 and u/14 Tag Rugby teams must have two girls on pitch at all times, and boys and girls volleyball. All mentors are please asked to contact the community games office at 052 31906 to inform them if they have teams for any of these events.

The games also cater for u/10, 12 and 14 Draughts, boys girls or mixed and also u/12 and u/16 chess and, of course, the u/14 juvenile quiz. Unless the teams are there and there are someone to look after them then they will not be entered. So please let us know as soon as possible.

The County Final of the u/14 table quiz will take place in the Presentation Convent Thurles on Friday 23rd March. County Final of the Art and Model Making Competition will take place in Fethard ballroom on Saturday 31st March. Closing date for entries at local level is 15th March. Entry fee €2. Details regarding Judo, Cycling, Swimming etc. will be given later. All enquiries to games office.

Fethard Community Youth Project
Healthy Living Club — The Healthy Living Club is a fun activity based club for girls aged between 10 and 12.The club focuses on healthy living in a fun and interesting way, so far we have made ‘smoothies’ and other healthy snacks, done some fun exercise, arts and crafts and had a beautician in also! The club would like to thank Sally and her students from the Fethard Beauty Clinic for taking the time to come down to show and teach the girls all about skin and nail care.

Fethard Foróige Club — The Fethard Foróige Club had its registration evening last Friday 9th February, the Foróige Club is a fun activity based club run by young people for young people under the supervision of adults. The club still has places left for any young person interested in joining. It will run every Friday evening from 7pm to 8.30pm in the I.C.A Hall. The leaders of the Foróige Club would like to thank the I.C.A for the use of the Hall. Please feel free to come along this Friday to see what it’s all about. Any queries please contact Nicola on 086 4073053 or Suzie on 086 2485977. 

Volunteers — The Fethard Community Youth project is continuously looking for adults to volunteer some of their spare time to help run its clubs. The amount of time an adult wishes to give is totally up to them. It is a great way to learn some new skills and have fun in the meantime. Remember the success of this project in Fethard depends on active participation from all of the community. So if you feel that you could give some of your time to the project please come along to the leader information evening on Tuesday 20th February in the Tirry Community Centre at 8pm. 

Transition Years Soccer League — Over the next month the Fethard Community Youth Project Transition Year’s Club will be getting involved in a short soccer league. The competitors will include Killenaule Secondary school transition year students and the Badgers Soccer Club. They will play on Wednesdays over the month of February, if any club feels they would be up to the challenge please get in touch with the Project. 

For any information on any the above please contact Suzie O’Shea on Tel: 086 2485977

Fethard GAA Club News
In the County Senior Football League on Sunday last our team gave a walk over to Eire Og /Annacarty. We have a game this weekend in Fethard at 2pm on Sunday 18th February against Moyle Rovers.

In the Minor Football County League on Sunday last, 11th February, our team gave a great spirited performance in Fethard winning on a scoreline, Fethard 1-6, Golden Kilfeacle 1-5.  With a never say die attitude we look forward to a year ahead of some good matches. Team: B. Walsh, T. O’Connell, A. Lawrence, M. Fitzgerald, E. O’Connell, A. O’Connor, M. Fleming, C. Sheehan, D. Doyle, D. Tobin, A. Donovan, M. Fleming, K. Ryan, T. Condon, T. Sheehan. Sub was D Prout for T Sheehan (35min). Our next game is on 25th February away to Ballyporeen.

We played an under 21 B football challenge last Saturday, 10th February, in preparation for the championship. This was a good work-out as we expect to be out again on weekending 25th February.

Fethard Athletic Club
It's that time of year again when we dust off our running shoes and return to training. For anybody interested in getting fit for the summer, Fethard Athletic Club will resume training on Monday 19th February at 6.30pm in the Community field. We train every Monday and Wednesday from 6.30pm to 7.30pm and are hoping to see all our athletes returning full of enthusiasm for the new season. New members are, of course, also very welcome.

If you are playing other sports, athletics is an excellent way of improving fitness levels and for those who don't participate in any other activities it is a very simple and effective way of achieving fitness. We train in a relaxed and happy atmosphere and adults and parents are always welcome to join in the training activities with their children. We cater for all levels of fitness and ability.

On a separate note, we are always on the lookout for volunteers to assist us in any way at all in the running of the club but especially by helping supervise the younger athletes at the training sessions each Monday and Wednesday evening. Anybody who feels they might be willing to help can be provided with training if required. For any further details contact Mary (31982), Cora (30958) or Fintan (31670).

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
Following their very successful run in Cloneen, Fionn MacCumhaill Players will stage their production of ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ for one more night at the Source Theatre, Thurles, on Thursday 15th February. If you didn’t see the show in Cloneen it is highly recommended to avail of this last chance on this Thursday night at 8pm. Tickets can be booked in person, on the phone (Tel: 0504 90204), or via email (boxoffice@sourcearts.ie).

Fethard & Killusty Community Lott0
The numbers drawn in the Fethard & Killusty Community Lotto on Wednesday 7th February were: 2, 6, 19 and 24. There was no Jackpot winner and one ‘Match 3’ winner who received €150: James St. John, Gurtnapisha, Cloneen.

The three €50 Lucky Dip winners were:

Joan Gleeson, Knockelly, Fethard;
James Cooney, Coleman, Fethard;
Margaret Gleeson, Ballyvaden.

Next weeks Jackpot is €9,900 and the Jackpot sellers prize is €990.

Patrician Presentation Jottings

Skiing Trip — On Friday 16th February a large group of students from 2nd  to 5th Year are heading to Lavarone, Italy. They will enjoy skiing, snow-boarding, tobogganing and they will also visit Verona. The group will be accompanied by teachers, Ms Marian Gilpin, Mr Michael Leonard, Ms Marie Maher and Mr Noel Maher. They return from the trip on Thursday 22nd February. We wish them all a safe and enjoyable trip. 

Dail na nÓg — Congratulations to J.P. McGrath, a transition year student, who was elected as on of the Dail na nÓg representatives from South Tipperary. He will represent the views of young people in South Tipperary and especially in Fethard at the Dail na nÓg, which will be held in Croke Park on Saturday 17th February. 

Open Evening — Many thanks to all who helped out with the school’s Open Evening on Monday 5th February. The Open Evening was a great success with a large attendance from Fethard and the surrounding parishes. 

Visitor from the Garda Depot — On Wednesday 14th February, Sgt. Michael O’Riordan from the Garda Depot in Templemore will give a presentation to the transition year students on the career of a Garda. Sgt. O’Riordan is a past pupil of the school and we welcome him back to his alma mater. 

The School Shop — The transition year students have opened a school shop for the remainder of the school year. They will stock the shop themselves with their own capital investment. Any profit made from the venture will be split among the company members.

Noticed in passing
Three Tipperary senior football league games were played under lights at rural venues last weekend. Big changes from the days when Fethard decided to use rabbit lamps to train for a county final way back in the fifties. Sounded like a good idea at the time but did not work out so well in practice and was discontinued after Liam Connolly fell over a cow at rest on the pitch. Fortunately Liam was okay after the mishap, incidentally, so was the cow.

Come on Steve!
Poor Steve Staunton. The media, commentators and supporters are certainly baying for Steve Staunton’s blood after the game against San Marino. They are also proving that, “The mob that cheers the loudest when their team wins, bays the stronger when they loose”. They seem to forget that Ireland won. If by chance they had lost it sounds like as if a public hanging of Steve and John Delaney in Donnelly’s Hollow would be demanded!

With the White Heathers
Sunday last from Clonacody could be described as not the best of days. Drawing the Lakefield side first hounds found in Newtown but could do very little with this fox, which they lost on Lakefield House avenue. Moving across the road they again found in Cooney’s bog at Jossestown. They ran through Ballinlough across the Donoughmore – Killerk road to Ryans and left-handed to Walshes where they lost him.

With the lengthening days now with us Donie drew on until almost 5pm. A further four foxes were found over a very wide area stretching down to Baptistgrange graveyard but each one was marked to ground after very short runs. Such are the fortunes of hunting.

The White Heathers meet Sunday next, 18th February, at Cappagh Cross, Cloneen, and at Ballingarry on Sunday 25th February.

The committee are currently promoting their annual end of season draw. Subscriptions are €5. Those wishing to support may do so through any member of the committee.