The Premier Newspaper March 17

Man charged with nine Animal Welfare Act offences

A man has been charged with nine offences contrary to the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 including failure to protect the welfare of animals following a multi-agency search operation that resulted in the rescue of 15 dogs and three horses by the ISCPA in Clonmel last December.

On December 7 last, Gardai conducted a joint-agency search operation alongside personnel from Revenue Customs Service, the ISPCA and the Irish Defence Forces.

During the course of the search,

Gardaí seized suspected drugs and three caravans which are believed to have been stolen.

Fifteen dogs and three horses were rescued by the ISPCA.

Five people were arrested for various offences during the course of the operation.

Failure to protect animal welfare and cruelty are among the offences the man is charged with, according to a Garda spokesperson.

The accused man has been released on bail to appear before an upcoming sitting of Clonmel District Court.

The search operation that resulted in the rescue of the dogs and horses by the ISPCA was conducted in the Heywood/Ardgeeha areas of Clonmel on December 7 last.

It was part of a larger search operation that involved Gardaí, members of the Revenue Customs Service and Irish Defence Forces during which gardaí seized suspected drugs and three caravans suspected to have been stolen.

Five people were arrested for various offences during the multiagency operation.

St Patrick’s Day Parade guideAll you need to know

CLONMEL: The main St Patrick’s Day Parade is set to commence at Irishtown at 3pm and progress down O’Connell Street before finishing in Parnell Street outside the Town Hall.

CAHIR: The theme of this year’s St Patrick’s Day Parade in Cahir is ‘Biodiversity’ and the environment.

It will take place in Cahir at noon.

CASHEL: “Back with a bang” is the theme this year, the first parade in the town for four years. The reviewing stand will be opposite Supervalu on Main Street. The parade will commence at 2pm and progress down Main Street.

TIPPERARY TOWN: This year the parade commences at 2pm. Many local artists will take to the stage from noon to build an atmosphere before the parade begins. There will also be some very special guests on the day.

CARRICK-ON-SUIR: The Parade will start from the car park next to the town’s Library at Greenside at 1pm on Friday. The parade route will be New Street, Main Street through the West Gate and down Kickham Street. Once it reaches the N24, large floats and vehicles will take the roadworks diversion route through Ard Mhuire to return to the Library car park. Other parade entries will travel along the N24 to the finish.

Jamie O’Flaherty

Cahir Park players celebrate after they secured the TSDL First Division League title.

Cahir Park return to Premier League

The Model School is 175 Years Old!

We have a long-awaited celebration this year in St Mary’s Parochial School! The Board of Management wishes to invite you to attend the official celebration of one of the most attractive landmarks in Clonmel. It is the Model School Building’s 175th Birthday Party (1848-2023) on Sunday April 23rd, from 2-5pm. We are a

small school with a big heart, that has been beating for 175 years. Can you help us prepare for this momentous celebration? Do you have any old school artefacts like photographs or information about St Mary’s Parochial School/The Model School from times gone by? Can you write about your time in St Mary’s Parochial School/

The Model School? Or simply just write about a memory or two? If so can you email these artefacts to office@stmarysparochialschool. com or send them via WhatsApp to 086- 7038121. We hope you can join us on the day. We look forward to welcoming you and celebrating this momentous occasion together.

POETRY CORNER

You won’t see this on main stream media” is a phrase you often see on social media posts usually written by some left or right wing fanatic who likes to think he is the smartest person in the room. The beauty about writing for a newspaper like The Premier is you are often allowed to write about subjects that you “won’t see on social media”. The poet whose poem is the subject of this week’s Poetry Corner is a case in point.

Rudyard Kipling, the first ever English speaking winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, has more or less been cancelled by social media commentators and as a result most main stream media outlets are afraid to review his work for fear of the inevitable backlash.

In recent times Kipling has been labelled a colonialist, a racist, a xenophobic and a rightwing imperialist warmonger. (I think you will agree that those labels aren’t great for the auld reputation but like all things it life, things could have been worse, he could have been labelled a Manchester United supporter as well). The fact that Kipling wrote some of the greatest poems and stories ever published is now largely irrelevant. The world has decreed that Kipling is toxic and it is only a matter of time before stories like The Jungle Book, The Man Who Would Be King, Kim, Wee Willie Winkle and poems such as The White Man’s Burden, Gunga Din and If disappear forever.

The debate on whether Kipling was a racist and a warmonger could go on all day and indeed in could be argued that some of the language used in his writings were “of his time” and that any man that wrote the line “you are a better man than I am, Gunga Din” is not inherently racist. Kipling didn’t glorify war either and his description of a soldier dying is horrific “Ere’s a beggar with a bullet through his spleen/E’s chawin up the ground/ And E’s kicking all around/ For Gawd’s sake, get the water Gunda Din”

What can’t be denied however was that Kipling was an unapologetic imperialist. In his poem The White Man’s Burden he suggests that God had

If

by Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies, Or being hated, don’t give way to hating, And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;

If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

And treat those two impostors just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken, And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:

given the white nations of the world the mission to conquer the non-white nations, not to supress them but to help them build roads, ports, cure diseases and prevent famine. It is a horribly condescending poem and his description of the non-white world as “your newly caught, sullen peoples/half devil and half child” has never and should never be forgiven.

But that doesn’t mean, Kipling should be cancelled. That’s why today we are going to look at Kipling’s most famous poem IF and judge it by on its own merits and not by the character of the man that wrote it.

Even on first reading it is easy to see why many people consider this the greatest motivational poem ever written. Of all the poems we have reviewed over the past few months, this poem is the easiest to summarise and maybe that is the greatest sign of its genius.

This poem is simply about a father giving his son a list of possible “if” scenarios and advising him on the personality traits he needs to adopt in order to become a good human being. There is certainly more than a touch of the British stiff upper lip about it as can be seen in the line “If you can meet triumph and disaster and treat those two impostors just the same”. Incidentally, that line is written on a sign over theplayer’s entrance to Centre Court in Wimbledon. (I wonder how long that will last there before they will be forced to have it removed).

Although written in 1895, some people have considered the poem to be sexist but again this poem was written in Edwardian time when male authority was taken for granted.When reading it through modern day eyes, if you take the gender out of it (replace it with he/she/they if you wish), the friendly advice offered by the speaker in the poems still holds true today. The simple rhyming scheme, the uncomplicated language used, the advice offered of keeping your head in the face of adversity has always resonated with people down through the generations and it’s easy to see why in 1995, If was voted Britain’s favourite poem.

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss, And lose, and start again at your beginnings

And never breathe a word about your loss; If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone, And so hold on when there is nothing in you Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch, If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,

If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run, Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it, And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!

Guttering repairs at low cost

EDITORIAL

Email: editor@thepremiernewspaper.com

Town Bus

After a considerable period of time without a bus service, the news this week that a more comprehensive bus service is at operator procurement stage for the town of Clonmel, is most welcome.

Having attended several meetings at Clonmel Borough District where the issue was raised on many occasions, I personally know the efforts and time that has gone into securing a return of the much needed service.

While it may never have been used by some, the town bus was crucial to many people of the town, offering them a safe journey to and from the town center. Well done to all who campaigned to ensure its return.

Yours Sincerely

Jamie O’Flaherty

18B Dudley’s Mills

Coleville Road, Clonmel

Telephone: 052 61 24894

NEWSDESK

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Launch of Jimmy Rhatigan’s latest book

Big date is Tuesday, March 21 at 8pm Venue is Paris Texas, High Street, Kilkenny

Treasure Lost, Treasure Found is a memoir of sorts that features a host of characters from Fatima Place to Florida and delves into the idiosyncrasies of human life.

The theme story takes readers through the challenging life of a young Rhatigan family that lost its dad at age 36.

Mother Maureen was 28, son Jimmy was 3 and his brother Joe was 12 days when dad Jimmy was cruelly stolen from them through sudden death.

The family faced into a storm but refused to

buckle and the many positives that followed a negative just may stir the emotions of devoted bibliophiles, many of whom may resonate with the loss of a loved one.

Launching the book will be Jimmy’s five-year old grandson, MJ, ably assisted by his dad, Michael Comerford, Kilkenny senior hurling trainer and Jimmy’s son, James. Anyone unable to attend the launch can purchase a copy of the book from Khan’s Bookshop, James’s Street, Kilkenny from Wednesday, March 22.

Funding secured for comprehensive bus service for Clonmel

The National Transport Authority say a more comprehensive bus service for Clonmel, aligned to the town service policy in similar sized towns is necessary following a detailed review of the requirements for the town.

in similar sized towns.

STAG Art Notes

Junior STAG Art Group Junior STAG don’t have Art this coming Saturday as it’s St. Patrick’s Weekend! However we’re back again on Saturday 25th at 10.30 am. The Senior section, (1st year to Leaving Cert.) must complete their art books for Clonmel Library Art Project, which is being organised by Artist and LIbrary Staff member, Paul Ryan. The Artbooks will be collected up by Paul on Saturday 25th, whether they are finished or not! All Artbooks will be digitised and be available on the net and as hard copy on the shelves in the library in the next few months.

Paul, has a great Exhibition in Clonmel Library at the moment, which will continue until this St. Patrick’s weekend - well worth a visit.

One of our Special Tutors, Almas, has been working with the Seniors on perspective drawing which will be of great benefit to those intending to do architecture in college. The Primary Section (9 years to 6th Class) have now completed their bubblewrap paintings which are very impressive indeed. Both Sections are now full!

Team have been asked to paint a mural on the 180ft hoarding at St. Anthony’s Unit, Glenconnor Rd, and this we hope to start soon. The mural will consist of scenes from Clonmel and area with vibrant panels by STAG Graffiti Artist, Niall Gleeson, in between. As there is a new garden being planned behind the Unit we have also been asked to liven up this area and to this end we will attach some of the existing boards, which are also repainted and varnished, to the very long 4ft wall there and then paint a floral mural on the wall of the Unit also! The 180 ft Mural in front of the Unit will be a mammoth task, but no doubt, with such great committed artists in the STAG work team, it will turn out brilliantly and we’re sure it will enrich the lives of the patients in St Anthony’s Unit, which is the main purpose of painting the mural!

SALES SPORT

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Clonmel District Administrator, Carol Creighton said she has been directly in contact with John Nott in the National Transport Authority in relation to the Town Bus Service. He has indicated that despite having said that the NTA had set a target for a January implementation date for the interim town service, they carried out a review of the demand within the town, and now feel that it would be appropriate to provide a more comprehensive service for Clonmel, aligned to the town service policy

They have designed a more comprehensive solution – moving from one bus per hour for a 12 hour day to a half hourly service over a longer operational day. Funding has been secured for the service and they are moving to operator procurement.

“They are now also after securing urban style buses to operate the service, which are fully accessible. Given the scale of operation, they need to now make some amendments to the existing procurement processes and this is where the delays lie,” said Ms Creighton. The news has been welcomed by Cllr Niall Dennehy and Cllr Michael Murphy who have both made representations to the council over the past year calling for a return of the town bus service for Clonmel.

STAG Adult Artists: The repainting of some of the hoarding that surrounded the Army Barracks last summer and that is in situ in Moyglass School shelter has now been completed. The repainted and varnished boards for Cuan Saor are now awaiting collection. STAG Work

Welcome to three new Adult members from the Ukraine, Natali, Maryna and Luda, all very keen and creative artists. To buy a painting from any of the businesses that display our artwork, The Showgrounds Shopping Centre, Befani’s Restaurant, Slievenamon Golf Club, Lisronagh and Minella Leisure Centre, or for any information on STAG please contact the Organiser at 086 8096823. Check out The South Tipperary Art Group( STAG) Web page and our Facebook page.

South Tipperary Stroke Communication Group welcomes new members

The South Tipperary Stroke Communication Group meets on the last Thursday of each month in the Bar of the Talbot Clonmel Park Hotel at 11am. The group is for people who have been affected by stroke or aphasia and is open to people from any area. Aphasia is a language disorder that affects the ability to communicate. It’s most often caused by a stroke in the left side of the brain, which controls speech and language. Aphasia doesn’t affect intelligence. Stroke survivors remain mentally alert, even though their speech

Cllr. John FitzGerald

may be jumbled, fragmented or hard to understand. The Stroke Communication Group provides a forum for those affected by stroke or aphasia to meet in an informal setting and to chat about issues that are of concern to them. The Group held a Stroke Conference in 2019 and is planning to hold another one later this year. The next group meet up is Thursday, March 30th at 11am at the Talbot Clonmel Park Hotel. Anyone requiring further information should contact Martin at 0876101628.

Happy St. Patricks Day from all at Kare Plus

Clonmel Daffodil Day Group launch fundraising campaign

“Clonmel Daffodil Day Group launched their fundraising campaign last Thursday, 2nd March in Place4U. Our new venue proved a great success and we would like to express thanks for the wonderful support received and to the staff of Place4U for their help in organising the event. Among the attendees were District Mayor Pat English, Nicola McMahon (Munster Coordinator), Fr John Treacy, Cllrs John Fitzgerald and Richie Molloy. Acting Chairperson of Clonmel Group Joan Ambrose thanked people for their attendance and continued support which helps raise cancer awareness and allows for the provision of important services. She added that new volunteers are always welcome, especially as Daffodil Day approaches (24th March).

Nicola McMahon informed those present of the tremendous work carried out in the locality by night nurses caring for the terminally ill. She outlined that 429 nights of care were provided locally last year and 660 drives were availed of from the driving service. Alice Halley, volunteer driver for 8 years, encouraged people to join the scheme and stressed how invaluable and rewarding the service is. Organiser Frances Delahunty mentioned that donations of fresh daffodils would be greatly appreciated for Daffodil Day and may be dropped into the Sporting Press Offices ( beside Showgrounds Shopping Centre)on Thursday 23rd March between 2 and 4pm and Friday from 9.30am to 3pm. Thanking the people of Clonmel for their continued generous support.”

Cllr John FitzGerald,Nicola McMahon (Munster Daffodil Day Coordinator);Pat English (District Mayor) and Joan Ambrose.

Frances Delahunty, Nicola McMahon (Munster Daffodil Day Coordinator); Pat English (District Mayor) and Alice Hally (Volunteer Driver)

Maureen Winston, Nicola McMahon (Munster Daffodil Day Coordinator); Pat English (District Mayor) and Phil Brackett.

Agnes O’Donoghue, Nicola McMahon (Munster Daffodil Day Coordinator) Anne O’Connor and Eileen Forde pictured with Mayor Pat English.

Major arts project for Clonmel

Self proclaimed “Political Agitator” Cllr.Niall Dennehy recently received support for his mantra ‘the restoration of Clonmel Corporation /Borough Council from highly respected columnist Peg Rossiter. The Clonmel Councillor also condemns the hostile takeover of South Tipperary County Council back in 2014, and the transfer of Finance, Planning, Roads...And the Office of Chief

Executive Officer to Nenagh. A dubious Statutory Instrument (2013) signed by the Minister saw the North Tipperary Co Council Manager imposed on the South at a day’s Notice. This before any legislation of Amalgamation was ever voted on by the Oireachtas, without the required Public Consultation.

Dennehy’s lawyers that a vacancy exists at Chief Executive Officer level at the Authority. The position has Not been vacated....or advertised.

then God help us.

Dennehy..........Villain or Victim??

In more recent years the new Tipperary Co Council’s “own” Legal Advisors confirmed to Cllr.

Nire Valley Commemoration

The Ballymacarbry / Nire Valley Commemoration Committee will host a ceremony on Sunday 26th March at the Republican Monument, Steel Bridge, in the valley to celebrate a meeting which took place at the Republican Cottage, Knockanaffrin between 25th–27th March 1923.

If the hostile takeover of Clonmel, Carrick-on-Suir, Cashel and Tipperary Town Councils, along with then South Tipperary County Council, by Nenagh in 2013 now constitutes grounds for a Life-Time Achievement Award,

The creation of Irish Water and the destruction of Local Government in South Tipperary are Joined at the Hip. Irish Water became a very lucrative ‘retirement home’ for disgruntled Local Authority Executives who might otherwise have had the Metal to stand up and object to the carnage.

voted down a motion that would have imposed sanctions on Irish Water for regular outages and failures in their Public Services Obligations.

Clonmel Junction Festival are delighted to have been selected as one of the key national presenters of events to close out the Decade of Centenaries.

At a recent Clonmel Borough District Meeting both FG and FF

The said Cllr Dennehy has also been the subject of ‘keen interest’ by a North Tipperary based broadcaster, acting on behalf of Donnybrook.

Unmentionable email have also been deployed.

Villain ....Or....Victim?

Self proclaimed “Political Agitator” Cllr.Niall Dennehy recently received support for his mantra ‘the restoration of Clonmel Corporation / Borough Council from highly respected columnist Peg Rossiter. The Clonmel Councillor also condemns the hostile takeover of South Tipperary County Council back in 2014, and the transfer of Finance, Planning, Roads...And the Office of Chief Executive Officer to Nenagh

From Out the Land is a multi-disciplinary, theatrical examination of the national story, told through the lens of the former Kickham Barracks in Clonmel.

A dubious Statutory Instrument (2013) signed by the Minister saw the North Tipperary Co Council Manager imposed on the South at a day’s Notice. This before any legislation of Amalgamation was ever voted on by the Oireachtas, without the required Public Consultation.

This famous meeting involved the available members of the Irish Republican Army Executive, who met at John Wall’s farmhouse, under the protection of men and women from the local Ballymacarbry and Nire Companies. The meeting had originally commenced in Cullinane’s of Bleantis Ballinamult, but had to be abandoned on

account of approaching pro-treaty forces.

Present at this meeting were Gen. Liam Lynch - Chief of Staff, Bill Quirke, Tom Derrig, Austin Stack, Seán Dowling, Frank Aiken, Tom Barry, Humphrey Murphy, Seán Hyde, Seán McSwiney, Tom Crofts, and Eamon de Valera as President of the Republican Government.

was mortally wounded on the slopes of the Knockmealdowns that morning.

The project will start in March with a wide-ranging series of talks, workshops and presentations, aimed at bringing a broad spectrum of Clonmel people into a look at the historical events of that influential decade, and our own Kickham Barracks stories over the past 100 years. During the summer, the resulting play – From Out The Land - will be created, with an outdoor theatre production taking place in Kickham Barracks over the first two weeks of September.

In more recent years the new Tipperary Co Council’s “own” Legal Advisors confirmed to Cllr. Dennehy’s lawyers that a vacancy exists at Chief Executive Officer level at the Authority. The position has Not been vacated....or advertised

A decision was taken at the meeting to continue the fight for freedom until another meeting would be held in Araglin on April 10th. The vote was close but ended 6:5 to continue hostilities (De Valera as President had no vote.)

On the 27th April, a month on, Lynch’s replacement, Frank Aiken, instructed all units “to cease offensive operations” effectively ending the Civil War in Ireland. Coincidentally, the Good Friday Agreement was signed by all parties on April 10th 1998, 75 years on from the death of Liam Lynch.

If the hostile takeover of Clonmel, Carrick-on-Suir, Cashel and Tipperary Town Councils, along with then South Tipperary County Council, by Nenagh in 2013 now constitutes grounds for a Life-Time Achievement Award, then God help us

Sadly, the meeting in Araglin never took place, as Liam Lynch

To build a lasting legacy to this historic event, a monument was erected by the local committee in 2014. It was officially unveiled in July 2016 in the year of commemorations by Deputy Eamon O’Cuiv TD and grandson

of the late Eamon de Valera. It now stands proudly neath the mountain peak, where this famous meeting took place. On Sunday 26th March next, a similar commemoration will take place to mark the centenary of the event. People will assemble at the Nire Hall and march to the Steel Bridge behind a Flag Party

The creation of Irish Water and the destruction of Local Government in South Tipperary are Joined at the Hip. Irish Water became a very lucrative ‘retirement home’ for disgruntled Local Authority Executives who might otherwise have had the Metal to stand up and object to the carnage

and piper at 2pm. At the site, a recount of events will be shared, a wreath will be laid and the proclamation recited. Afterwards, people are invited back to the Parish Hall for refreshments and to witness an exhibition of items of the time. All are very welcome to commemorate with us a shared history.

At a recent Clonmel Borough District Meeting both FG and FF voted down a motion that would have imposed sanctions on Irish Water for regular outages and failures in their Public Services Obligations.

The said Cllr Dennehy has also been the subject of ‘keen interest’ by a North Tipperary based broadcaster, acting on behalf of Donnybrook. Unmentionable email have also been deployed. Villain ....Or....Victim??

The production takes key events from the Decade of Centenaries and looks at them through the personal stories of Clonmel people. Our professional cast play a range of characters in a series of events, knit together by a musical chorus. Kickham Barracks itself is the narrator, brought to life by an ensemble of professional musicians and citizen performers, who embody an institution which looked over the town and the nation.

This production – the largest theatre show Tipperary has ever seen - questions who we are based on what we did, and asks the participants and the audience who we wish to become.

The show is directed by Jack Reardon, with Kate Twohig as musical director, and is produced by Cliona Maher for Clonmel Junction Arts Festival.

Funded by the Arts Council of Ireland, with the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, and supported by Tipperary County Council.

Rubbish issue will be sorted with urgency

Tipperary County Council have vowed to clean up an area of land adjacent to a cemetery in Carrickon-Suir after Cllr Kieran Bourke raised the issue recently. The accumulation of rubbish on land next to St Mary’s Cemetery in the town has raised concerns by members of the public who highlighted the issue to Cllr Bourke.

niall.dennehy@cllr.tipperarycoco.ie

He said the dumping was taking place on more than half of the field which was set aside for an extension to the cemetery. He wants immediate action including writing to the owner of the site, who is technically responsible.

District Engineer Willie Corby said he has visited the area and promised to ensure it was sorted with urgency.

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THE PREMIER NEWSPAPER

Good News-you might be owed a Tax Refund

In August 2022 RTE reported “€620m in overpaid tax still to be claimed”. There are a wide range of tax reliefs available that tax payers can claim. If you have paid too much tax, January, February or March is usually the best time to claim a tax refund after the end of the previous year. You must claim a tax refund within the 4 years after the year in which you made the overpayment. In 2020 Revenue changes the way you can claim refunds.

According to Darren Ryan, Citizens Information Service Development Manager for Tipperary, “There are many reasons why people may have overpaid Income Tax during the year, For example, their personal circumstances may have changed, they may have got married or separated, they may have only worked for part of the year, or they may be entitled to claim tax relief or tax credits for remote working, medical, nursing home, tuition and renting expenses.”

You can claim 20% tax relief on medical expenses you pay for yourself or for any other person. These expenses include the cost of GP visits, consultant fees, prescribed medications, physiotherapy and counselling

sessions, hearing aids, IVF, and non-routine dental costs such as braces. It is important to note that you cannot claim tax back on any part of a medical expense that has already been covered by a health insurance policy, compensation payment or the HSE.

A new Rent Tax Credit was announced in Budget 2023 for people paying rent and people paying rent on behalf of a student. The maximum value of the credit is €1,000 per year in the case of a jointly assessed married couple or civil partners, and €500 in all other cases.

To check if you have overpaid Income Tax, you can use Revenue’s myAccount service, an online service. When you sign into the service, your Preliminary End of Year Statement will show if you have overpaid or underpayment Income Tax for a particular year. If you want to claim the refund or claim additional tax credits or tax reliefs you will have to complete and submit an Income Tax Return, following this you will be issued with a Statement of Liability, a final review of your tax liability for the year. Refunds will be paid into your bank account or you will receive a cheque in the post.

You do not have to wait until the end of the year to get a refund on some expenses, you can now use the Real Time Credit facility in the Revenue’s myAccount service to claim tax relief on some of the following - medical expenses, remote working expenses and nursing home expenses during the year. If you are unable to register for Revenue’s myAccount service, you can complete your Income Tax Return and get your Statement of Liability by filling out a paper Form 12 or Form 12S (a simplified version) and returning it to your local tax office.

Information Officer Olive Loughnane wants to point out that, if you have paid Income Tax in a particular year, you may be due a tax refund for that year.

Feedback from a Citizens Information Service client stated “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate the amazing service you provide. If it weren’t for your knowledge and skills, I would never have known that I was due a tax refund or how to go about claiming it.”

Citizens Information Centres are funded by the Citizens Information Board. They provide free, impartial and

confidential information, advice and advocacy services to the public on social services, rights and entitlements.

Information Officers in our Citizens Information Centre

in Tipperary are available to answer any queries you may have about overpayment of tax, or any related questions. We are available from Monday to Friday, our centres are assisting

clients with a drop in service, face to face appointments, by phone and email. We have Centre’s in Clonmel, Nenagh, Roscrea, Thurles and Tipperary Town.

Making the most of your first job

As you prepare for your very first job after college, marking the beginning of your career, how can you determine if you’re making an impact, what determines a job well done? How can you evaluate your performance?

Your first job can leave you feeling under paid and over worked and on a very steep learning curve. It is important to correctly utilise these early days, so they have a long lasting positive effect on the rest of your career. Setting your expectations and knowing what is important to take from a first job is crucial –don’t expect the world in terms of payment and benefits but equally don’t waste your time if you are not learning anything on the job. Whether you have just left school, college or are transitioning into a new indus-

try you should evaluate your performance using what I call a career triangle, each point on the triangle represents the following: job satisfaction, money, and lifestyle.

Job satisfaction refers to the impact you have on a company, like are you proud to work for the company, are you learning and consistently growing in your role. The second point on the triangle is money and includes any renumeration package for instance salary, bonus, equity, shares, healthcare etc. Finally, lifestyle which includes work life balance, your commute time to work, control over your workday for example do you have autonomy in your role. In the early days of your career, it is possible to optimise one point on the triangle maybe

even two, but it is almost impossible to maximise all three.

The only question you should be asking yourself about your first job is “am I learning” the answer should only ever be YES – there is nothing more important in the early days of your career than to be learning.

Your first job is a steppingstone in your career, the only way to progress is by learning and by doing so you grow, develop, and evolve.

When choosing your first job you need to be confident that the environment you affiliate with is dedicated to investing in you and ensuring you are adequately trained early on and committed to continuous learning. No one expects you to know everything in your first job, and you learn and grow

A walk on the wildside

The Silent Hunters with Rupert Butler

On soft wings he glides from the surrounding gloom, a flicker of white against the night sky his only betrayal. Just when you realise that you are in the presence of one of our most silent of hunters he disappears once again. Barn owls are creatures of the night. Even for those like myself that are out and about a good deal catching a glimpse of one is indeed a rare occurrence. Whilst looking for one of my Spaniels long before dawn one morning after he had decided to go on an adventure of his own, one of these delightful birds swooped in to brush against my scalp. He no doubt caught a flicker of movement and decided to investigate in case a meal was in the offering, before realising the error of his ways and departing for pastures new. I eventually found the doggie in question with tongue ajar and panting furiously having terrorised most of local bunny population.

Our Barn owl population has declined in recent years due primarily to more intensive farming practices.

Marginal areas with long grasses which were once the norm on most farms throughout the land are no longer present to any extent. Such areas provided much needed cover for many of the prey species vital to their survival such as shrews and field mice. In recent times many Barn owl projects have materialised around the country to help preserve this iconic bird. Such projects involve putting up nest boxes in areas once frequented as well as looking at habitat management. Hopefully in years to come their population will once again flourish. To this end I feel that some of the new farm schemes will be beneficial to breeding success in the future as more diversification is now being rewarded. Such diversification involves leaving some areas fallow as well as the planting of more hedgerows and trees, all of which can only enhance the survival of Barn Owls together with many other species.

In Irish folklore the high pitched scream of a Barn Owl gave rise to the myth of the Banshee whose wailing was an omen of death to those who heard it. Let hope these ghosts of the darkness remain with us for many years to come.

faster when you seek real understanding, ask questions, and petition for help. Rather than faking it, make it by acknowledging the skills and experience of your colleagues at work and using your first job or internship as a learning experience. Don’t focus too much on your paycheque for the first year – this can be hard but by understanding the cost to a company of hiring someone with essentially no experience may help you. There is a big risk to a company hiring a graduate for example with no experience, not only are they paying you a salary, but they also must heavily invest in mentoring you and taking time from other resources to train you and teach you. At any point you can leave the company and take what you

have learned elsewhere.

As a payoff remember you can benefit elsewhere like for example maximise the environment and the people around you, learn as much as you can. What does your senior counterpart do day to day, is that what you hope for your career in ten years’ time, allow yourself to investigate your future. Leverage the knowledge from the people working with you. Don’t be afraid to ask them about their career journey. This knowledge can help shape your career and get you on a path that will offer you a happy and fulfilling career. It is all about keeping an open mind and making the most of every situation you are in and allowing yourself to learn and grow every step of the way.

Showing up at work every day

with a positive attitude is probably one of the greatest things you can do to start your career off right. This attitude will help you build a good network and people will be more likely to offer their wisdom and advice to someone who is upbeat, supportive, enthusiastic, and eager to learn. Utilise these early days to start your career off to a flying start, it is an investment into your happiness. Trust me if you are happy in your career this spills into the rest of your life. Whether you are in a job and looking for a career change, unemployed or feeling a bit lost in your career, knowledge is power so for more career advice follow @To_whomthismayconcern on Instagram or check out my website WWW.TOWHOMTHISMAYCONCERN.COM

Another successful ‘Finding a Voice’ festival comes to an end

Finding a Voice, the Clonmel festival that celebrates music by women composers has just wrapped for 2023 and what a music-packed five days it was!

From the opening concert in the Main Guard to the final night in Old St Mary’s Church, audiences experienced a huge variety of music with one thing in common – all the works were written by women. Wind quintet Musici Ireland opened the festival with a fabulous International Women’s Day concert, while visiting guitarist Eleanor Kelly transported us all to sunny South America the following night with her Música Latina programme. Thankfully the weather didn’t dampen people’s spirits with this enthralling night of music from Argentina, Brazil and Chile. On Friday night, American mezzo-soprano Aylish Kerrigan brought the house down with her thrilling performance of …until the women are free by Irish composer Gráinne Mulvey, alongside Clonmel-born flautist Joe O’Farrell. The concert also included music by the youngest ever composer to feature in Finding a Voice, 17-year-old Patsy Jo Culleton from Ballyporeen whose piano piece Cables was performed by David Bremner. Saturday’s lunchtime concert from

visiting Spanish pianist Antonio Oyarzabal was undoubtedly a highlight, as he brought us on a musical journey from America to France and eventually to Ireland with an arrangement of Irish composer Ina Boyle’s Sleep Song, especially commissioned by the festival. Antonio and Eleanor, who were both visiting Ireland for the first time, were blown away by the beauty of Clonmel and the warmth of the reception they received and have promised to return to again before too long. Saturday evening’s concert featured American viola player Nathan Sherman alongside multitalented percussionist Alex Petcu performing on an electrifying array of instruments.

Sunday was a jam-packed

day, beginning with a morning screening of Clonmel-based filmmaker Dónal Ó Céilleachair’s beautiful Do Chuala Ceol, introduced by the composer Fiona Kelleher. The lunchtime concert of music from the seventeenth and eighteenth century, by violinist Claire Duff and harpsichordist Rachel Factor, was truly inspiring. A free afternoon concert of music from the Hifilutin Quartet showcased all the instruments of the flute family before festival favourites, ConTempo Quartet, were joined by Eleanor Kelly to bring this year’s proceedings to a close. Next year’s Finding A Voice will take place from 8th-10th March 2024 so put those dates in your diary now!

News around Cahir

St Patrick’s Day today in Cahir

The Parade in Cahir will leave Cahir Business Park on the Tipperary Road at 12 sharp this year due to Cahir Community Gardaí having to attend other parades locally.

Entry to the parade is free and we would love to see some new faces join in with the regular attendees this year. Although the theme is Biodiversity this year, we welcome everyone to just get out and about in your club colours and enjoy the occasion.

This year we have been asked to have a quiet viewing area for Autism and this will be located opposite the Post Office outside the Aspect Adult Autism day centre, and we are asking groups to kill the noise at this point.

Prizes for the Parade are as follows: Best Community Float: First Prize (Perpetual Cup) and Second Prize, Best Commercial

Bunscoil Na Cathrach Confirmation 2023

Float: First and Second Prize, Most Entertaining Entry: First and Second Prize, Best Youth Prize: First and Second Prize and Most Unique Attempt First and Second Prize.

The Parade will start at 12 noon and leave from Cahir Business Park. It will be a day great out for everyone and we hope to see you there!

So all roads lead to Cahir for 12 noon today where there is musical entertainment on the square before the parade and Comhaltas will perform after the parade at the tourist office plaza as we will need to open the road. Bus Eireann will operate from the Cashel road during the parade and all those travelling should check the bus Eireann website for further details.

This event is kindly funded by Tipperary County Council.

Cahir Social and Historical Society

The Society is delighted to host a lecture by a local historian Paul Buckley that will take place in Cahir House Hotel. The date is Wednesday March 22 and the lecture will start at 8pm. Entitled “Tell Me A Story”, this talk will be based on the contributions of primary schools in the Cahir Area to the Schools Folklore Collection in the 1930s. In 2021 Paul collaborated with Sandra Cunningham on a related

project that led to the publication of ‘Tell Me A Story’ / ‘Inis Scéal Dom’. Paul’s lecture will focus on a number of stand-out themes from this research. Admission is €3 for Members and €5 for Guests. All welcome to come along on the night.

This is the Societies last lecture of the current season and it’s been great to see people coming back in such numbers.

Solo Exhibition ‘Blood, bone, rust & stone’ in Cahir Arts

Cahir Arts is delighted to support yet another Tipperary artist in Annie Hogg. Annie’s solo Exhibition is titled ‘Blood, bone, rust & stone’ and it will open on tomorrow, Thursday March 16 at 6pm. Earth & charred pigments on paper are Annie’s preferred medium so come along and meet the artist from 6pm tomorrow, Thursday March16. We are looking forward to seeing you there. Refreshments will be served from 6pm. All welcome to attend this unique exhibition.

Classical Painting classesCheck out a unique opportunity to improve your painting skills in Cahir Arts with Skilled artist Adrian Cooke who will teach you to paint like the masters. Classical painting classes with 5 week studio oil painting course is on Tuesdays starting on Tuesday March 21 and from 7 – 9pm in Cahir Arts on Castle Street in Cahir. Places are limited and Booking and information is through the website at www.adriancooke.ie

Cahir Credit Union Quiz

Brains were certainly in gear last Sunday in Dungarvan where Cahir Credit Union Ltd was represented at the regional stage (Chapter 10) of the Schools credit Union quiz. The two very strong and high scoring teams were St. Marys N.S. Clogheen and Ballylooby NS. Both teams won their competitions and they both have made it through to the Grand Final taking place at the RDS, Dublin on the April 2, 2023. This competition has been going

on for many years and Cahir Credit Union is delighted to be part of the National event. The value of being part of this quiz has multiple advantages with students gaining experience at teamwork that will help to equip them with the skills necessary for successful teamwork in the future. Thanks also to parents and teachers for all their help and encouragement.

Cahir Credit Union wish both teams every success in the RDS. Good Luck!

Bishop of Waterford & Lismore Alphonsus Cullinan with Principal Brendan Horan, Teachers Yvonne Fahy & Sylvia Sheehan and pupils of Bunscoil Na Cathrach at Confirmation ceremony last Thursday in Cahir.

Matheus with Bishop of Waterford & Lismore Alphonsus Cullinan and Parents Diana & Andreas at Confirmation.

Eoin Fahy and Bishop of Waterford & Lismore Alphonsus Cullinan at Confirmation.

Left - Chloe Fitzgerald & Mum with Bishop of Waterford & Lismore Alphonsus Cullinan at Confirmation last Thursday.

Right - Julia & Amelia with Bishop of Waterford & Lismore Alphonsus Cullinan at Confirmation

News around Tipperary Town

Belarusian politician, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, named as recipient of the Tipperary International Peace Award

The Belarusian politician, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, has been announced as the recipient of the 2022 Tipperary (Ireland) International Peace Award. The announcement was made on International Women’s Day, a day that recognises the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future.

The Hon. Secretary of Tipperary Peace Convention, Martin Quinn, says that the awarding of the Peace Prize to Mrs. Tsikhanouskaya is a statement of support for the rights to freedom of expression, freedom of association and freedom of assembly in Belarus. “The torture and ill treatment of men, women and children in Belarus, along with the system of unfair and closed trials and the imprisonment of those that speak out against the regime, as brought to prominence by Mrs. Tsikhanouskaya, has highlighted the brutality of the Lukashenka regime and its crackdown on protestors and those who speak out against them” said Mr. Quinn.

Tsikhanouskaya ran in the 2020 Belarusian presidential election as the main opposition candidate after her husband Sergei Tsikhanousky was arrested two days after announcing his intention to contest the election. She has campaigned tirelessly for her husband’s freedom and was forced to flee with her children to Lithuania following the election. Mrs. Tsikhanouskaya emerged from obscurity in 2020 to become the leader of Belarus’ biggest revolt in decades, but is painfully aware that her husband, the original presidential rival to Lukashenka, sits in a solitary cell in a Belarus jail alongside others like Viktar Babarika and Maria Kalesnikava, who like Mr. Tsikhanousky also ran for president.

As a leader in exile, Tsikhanouskaya has grown in stature and has not shown any weakness in pointing out the brutalities of the regime in Belarus and in calling for tougher western sanctions against Lukashenka” said Mr. Quinn. “They have sacrificed their freedom while others have sacrificed their lives to fight for the rights of the people of Belarus, and for the 1,300 political prisoners in jail currently. The campaign by Mrs. Tsikhanouskaya to highlight these and the many other issues concerning freedom and democracy in Belarus is being recognised by Tipperary Peace Convention with the presentation of the 2022 Tipperary International Peace Award” said Mr. Quinn

Past recipients of the award include former South African President the late Nelson Mandela, former President of Ireland, Professor Mary McAleese and her husband Senator Martin McAleese, the late Senator Edward Kennedy and his sister the late Ambassador Jean Kennedy Smith, Pakistani school girl Malala Yousafzai, former UN Secretary General Ban Kimoon, former US Secretary of State, John Kerry, the Syrian Civil Defence White Helmets, former Colombian President, Juan Manuel Santos, and former Irish President and Chair of The Elders, Mary Robinson.

The 2002 award will be presented to Mrs. Tsikhanouskaya at a ceremony in Tipperary, Ireland in May. The Belarusian leader is very familiar with County Tipperary having spent many summers in Roscrea, since she was 12 years old, as part of a programme for children affected by the Chernobyl disaster.

Responding to the news of her

selection Mrs. Tsikhanouskaya said that it is a great honour to become the recipient of the Tipperary International Peace Award for 2022 and to be amongst the great people who received the award before her. “This award is not only given to me, it is given to millions of free people of Belarus, who have been fearlessly and selflessly resisting tyranny for the past three years. I’m proud of them and I thank the Tipperary Peace Committee and Ireland for this recognition. Ireland has always been a friend to Belarus and to me personally. As a child, I came to Ireland under the Chernobyl children’s programme and I lived with the warmest family in this very region of County Tipperary. This family showed me what a big heart Irish people have and I’m happy that I still keep in touch with them. Despite the distance the people of Ireland and Belarus remain close friends as we have so much in common and we understand each other. Belarus is also a country of warm and modest people and like Irish people, Belarusians know how to fight for their land, their culture and their traditions and to defend is what makes us a nation. I’m sure that the friendship between Belarus and Ireland will remain forever and this award is what confirms these ties between us. It is an incredible support for the democratic movement of Belarus and for the hundreds of thousands of activists who resist tyranny on the ground. This provides hope for the thousands of political prisoners who suffer in Belarusian prisons for their truth and for their thirst for freedom and commitment to democratic values. Your attention to Belarus makes tyrants more vulnerable and your solidarity

Two Tipperary Students Highlight

Disadvantages’ in Leinster House

Deputy Lowry recently hosted two students from Tipperary, Lisa from Thurles and Louis from Cashel, in Cashel in Leinster House.

The students had previously written to him to highlight Education Disadvantages at Third Level for students wishing to study courses in areas such as Medicine, as a result of financial burdens such Courses, even prior to commencement, can place on families and students. ‘Their letters highlighted educational

disadvantages. Importantly, they also offered solutions,’ said Deputy Lowry. “I was impressed that these bright young people were thinking of students who were not as privileged as themselves.”

“I made arrangements to have both students visit Leinster House. They made a wonderful presentation to Minister for Higher Education, Simon Harris, who, on hearing what these students had to say, committed to immediately exploring actions that

would ease access to training for all professions, including Medicine and Law.

“While in the corridors of Government, they also attracted the listening ear of several other Senior Ministers, who listened closely to what these Tipperary students had to say. When the students concluded their meetings, Deputy Lowry said, “Beyond doubt, both Lisa and Louis Lisa left a lasting impression on all those they spoke with.”

makes us stronger” concluded Mrs. Tsikhanouskaya.

Tipperary Peace Convention has also announced that it is to recognise the Irish Defence

Forces for 65 years service on peacekeeping missions in different parts of the world since 1958. A special presentation to honour their service and

contribution to peacekeeping will be made on the occasion of the presentation of the Tipperary International Peace Award in May.

The Belarusian politician, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, has been announced as the recipient of the 2022 Tipperary (Ireland) International Peace Award.

‘Educational

Deputy Michael Lowry pictured with Tipperary students Lisa O’Connor and Louis Ryan along with along with Minister for Higher Education, Simon Harris.

Photograph from the Jimmy McMahon collection.

How many of these churches from South Tipperary can you name?

Can you name these two performers from Carrick on Suir? ANSWERS

Liam Doherty and Liam Wells.

Pictures -The Premier Flashback with Joe Kenny: 1987

kennyphotographics@gmail.com

Members of the Bergin family and friends photographed at the Rosegreen GAA Dinner Dance, held in Grants Hotel, Cashel, in February 1987

Lonergan’s Pub Team who were beaten 2-0 in the final of the Pub Soccer League played in July 1987

Mrs and Mr Michael O’Brien, pictured above presenting a full team strip to Jimmy Moloney, chairman Rosegreen Soccer Club, on behalf of A&M Construction, Rosegreen. L to R: G. Shelly, treasurer Rosegreen Soccer Club; Marie and Michael O’Brien, A&M Construction; J. Moloney, chairman Rosegreen Soccer Club; and Pat Cormack, secretary Rosegreen Soccer Club. (February 1987)

Group of children out for a stroll at Marlfield Lake in October 1987.

Group photographed at the Rosegreen GAA Dinner Dance held in Grant’s Hote, Cashel, in February 1987

Beattys Pub Soccer Team that won the Pub Soccer League beating Lonergan’s Pub 2-0 in the final played in July 1987.

Pictures -The Premier Flashback with Joe Kenny: 1987

Mr Paddy Maher, chairman of Drangan & Cloneen Parish Community Council, making a presentation to Fr. Ted O’Rahelly who was transferred from the parish in July 1987. The presentation was made on behalf of all the parishioners. L to R: Jim Quinn, Canon Seamus O’Rahelly, Paddy Maher, Fr. Ted O’Rahelly, Fr John Stapleton and Mr Shay Ahessy.

Mrs Olivia Hughes photographed with friends and members from the South Tipperary Irish Countrywomen’s Association on the occasion of her 90th Birthday Party celebrated at her home in 1987. Olivia Hughes (18981989) was a founder member of Fethard Branch in 1926 and elected ICA National President from 1955 to 1958. She is interred in the grounds of Holy Trinity Church of Ireland in Fethard.

‘Escape from Sing-Sing’, one of the fancy dress entries at the 25th Annual Killusty Irish Pony Society Show, held on Saturday, July 11, 1987.

Mr Richard O’Donnel photographed outside his bar in O’Connell Street, near the West Gate, Clonmel, in July 1987.

L to R: Willie O’Grady, Chairman Rosegreen GAA Club, Paddy O’Sullivan (centre) accepting a presentation of a silver tray on behalf of his brother Peter, which was made at the at the Rosegreen GAA Club’s Dinner Dance in February, 1987, by Mr Willie O’Grady, Chairman Rosegreen GAA Club, in recognition of Peter’s many year’s dedication to Rosegreen Hurling Club. Photographed L to R: Willie O’Grady, Chairman Rosegreen GAA Club; Paddy O’Sullivan and Fr. Tom Ryan C.C. Cashel.

Cllr. Dick Tobin, Chairman Tipperary S.R. County Council, presenting a trophy & cheque to Rev. Ian Knox (centre) and Mr Tommy Boland (caretaker) after being awarded the Tidy Graveyard Award for Mullinahone Protestant Church in February 1987.

Busy times at Presentation Secondary School Clonmel

Term 2 has proved to be a very busy time for our school with our girls representing our school in different competitions across the school curriculum.

Junior Cert Academic Award Winners 21/22

Student Enterprise Competition

On Monday 6/03/23, six students travelled to MIC Thurles for the County Final of the Student Enterprise Competition. We had two teams that made it to the County Final, one in the junior category and one in the Intermediate category. Our junior team, comprising of Clara O’Flynn, Mia McCarthy, and Bronagh Kennedy, showcased their creation, ‘Worry Elephants,’ a collection of hand-crafted teddies crafted from recycled materials with the aim of reducing stress and anxiety. Similarly, our intermediate team, consisting of Grace Cooney,

Lexi Barnes, and Maeve Cooney, showcased their unique and carefully crafted scented candles. The team ensured that the candles were packaged in recycled tin boxes and included warning and name labels to further enhance their creativity. After a long morning of judging, our junior team emerged victorious, earning the coveted ‘Most Innovative Idea’ award. Our intermediate team also secured the ‘Most Creative Design/Brand Name’ award, affirming their creativity and hard work throughout the year. Well done girls!

Science Department News

The TY students visited Vision ID in as part of Engineering week in association with SETU.

The students got to learn about augmented reality and the technologies of the future.

Art Department

Congratulations to Abbie Burke who qualified for the All Ireland Articulation final in March in Limerick.

Business Department

Congratulations to Jenna Hayes,Ty student who received a Certificate of Achievements to acknowledge her outstanding performance of obtaining a Distinction in Business Studies in Junior Cycle 2022. The Certificate

of Achievement was presented to Jenna from University of Limerick Kemmy Business School/Business Studies Teachers Association. Also, we acknowledge the role of Jenna’s teacher Ms Ellen Hayes in guiding Jenna to her achievement.

Sports Department Athletics

Munster Indoor Championships

Lucia Gil and Emer Brennan had great performances at the Munster Schools Indoor Games in both long jump and middle distance today. Lucia was 4th in a strong junior 600m heat and had a very consistent long jump campaign. Emer’s confidence was high coming into today’s championship following club success in the county indoors last Sunday, when securing a fabulous haul of Gold in 200m, 800m and 60m hurdles, aswell as Silver in high jump, and bronze in u16 relay. It wasn’t misplaced, as Emer celebrated her birthday with a

who brought the first South East Intermediate Championship medals back to the school, securing a magnificent Bronze.

Our Seniors then added an

inaugural team gold, when Laura Cooney, Hazel Brennan and Sinéad O’Carroll brought the girl’s day to a close by winning the South East Title.

ICF Canoe Freestyle World Championships

Irish team trials for 2023 ICF Canoe

Freestyle World Championships

Leaving cert student Béibhin Butler secured places on the Irish Freestyle Team competing in Columbus - Georgia in the USA this October. Béibhin will be competing in senior women’s K1

and C1.

The team trials took place on the Curragower Wave in Limerick City on Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th of February with fierce competition in all the categories.

Schools Swimming Competition

Congratulations to Jenna Hayes and Lucy Brannigan who represented Pres at the Munster Schools Swimming Championships at weekend. In their first outing in senior ranks, they recorded PB’s and top ten positions across

Ladies GAA

Ladies GAA football is thriving in Presentation Secondary School at the moment,our staff and students

their disciplines, in which they had up to seventy competitors in opposition. Well done Jenna, Lucy and your club coaches, we know the hours of dedication it takes to be competitive at this level in swimming.

are members of the different panels.We wish them the very best in all their upcoming competitions.

3:19 timing for her Intermediate 1,000m to secure second in her heat and a superb 5th overall in Munster. She followed it up by reaching the final of the long jump with a 4.39m PB.

Not all performances can be measured in medals, and that certainly was the case for Niamh Clarke in the 1km Race Walk at the aforementioned county club indoors last Sunday. A bloodless victory masked the fact that she smashed her PB by a massive 22 second margin, setting her up nicely for the Munster campaign ahead.

Medals and Performances at East Munster Schools Cross Country

On a day of firsts for Presentation Clonmel at the East Munster Schools Cross Country Championships, at Intermediate and Senior level, it was the performances at Minor and Junior level that were most eyecatching.

In the Minor category, we had Mai Hayes, Méabh Kinahan and Coia Williams Norris. While

in the Junior grade, Lucia Gil, Aoibhinn McCarra, Ciara Slattery, Saoirse Butler, Caragh Conway and Niamh Clarke toed the line. The step up on performances from Thurles was huge over the longer distance and the infamous Carriganore Hill, each fighting for the other to the line.

Next up, it was Emer Brennan, Kate Walsh and Eimear Heafey

Mr O’Loughlin (Tipp Senior Coach) Sinead O’Carroll (Tipp U16 Captain) Eabha Murphy (Tipp Minor panel) Ms.Morrissey (Tipp Senior panel),Hazel Brennan (Tipp Minor panel) Ruby Browne (Waterford U16 panel) Aedin McCormack (Tipp Senior panel). Front Row L/r Abbie Hassett (Tipp U16 panel) Aoibhin McCarra (Tipp U16 panel) Karah O’Donnell (Tipp U16 panel) Hazel O’Reilly (Tipp U16 panel)

Ceiliuradh CEIST

On 1st February,we celebrated Ceiliuradh CEIST day. Our second year music students along with Mrs. Alley and Mrs. O’Leary composed a beautiful song that reflects all the CEIST values that are lived everyday in

our school community. Student got creative with our notice boards and displayed on the noticeboard the values that are reflected in the Teaching and Learning that goes on everyday in their school.

Congratulations to Jenna Hayes and Saoirse Scully who were joint winners of Junior Cert Academic Award 22.

BENNIGAN’S IS THE PLACE TO BE THIS ST PATRICK’S WEEKEND

St Patrick’s Day

Music - Pa Butler from 5pm

Cheltenham Gold Cup

Special offers

Saturday

Music - Martino 9pm - close

Rugby - Ireland v England

All Premier League action

Mother’s Day

Free glass of prosecco, wine or beer of choice with every Mother’s Day meal

Music - Valo playing from 6pm Beautiful meals and cocktails available at Bennigan’s

Adult Learners Festival’s ‘Walk and Talk’

The Aontas Adult Learners’ Festival is a week-long nationwide celebration of adult learning that takes place every year in March. place every year nationwide. The festival offers groups and organisations the chance to have a positive impact in your community by raising awareness of the benefits of education for everyone, at any time of their lives. This year’s event in Clonmel was a ‘Walk and Talk’ held on March 7, between 10am and 12 noon, when over 120 learners, potential learners, and staff gathered at the Clonmel Tipperary ETB FET Campus where they were addressed by TETB (Tipperary Education and Training Board) chairperson, Ms Mary Hanna Hourigan, before setting off on an outdoor walk on the Suir Blueway to enjoy the fresh air and talk about their educational experiences and opportunities.

AONTAS is the National Adult Learning Organisation of Ireland, who fight for equal access to education for everyone, regardless of their experiences, and also support changes to the education system so that everyone has the chance to learn, and keep learning.

Full group photographed before setting off from Clonmel Tipperary ETB FET Campus on Tuesday. March 7, 2023, as part of the annual Aontas Adult Learners Festival’s ‘Walk and Talk’, celebrating adult learning.

Group from the ‘Living The Life’ men’s group photograph with Veronica Crowe CEF (Community Education Facilitator) at the Aontas Adult Learners Festival’s ‘Walk and Talk’.

Learners from the Level 2 Education Course photographed with staff members Mary Roche Cleary, Louise Mulcahy and Kaye Mullaney

Taking part in the annual Aontas Adult Learners Festival’s ‘Walk and Talk’ are L to R: Mary Whelan, Peter Cleary, Richard Carroll and Louise Mulcahy

Learners from the Beginner English and Cambridge English course photographed with staff members Lavinia English, Sarah Kearney, John O’Driscoll and Eoghan McGrath.

Group from the ‘Beauty Therapy Course’ in Clonmel, taking part in the annual Aontas Adult Learners Festival’s ‘Walk and Talk’.

Group from the ‘Women’s Fitness Group’ in Clonmel, taking part in the annual Aontas Adult Learners Festival’s ‘Walk and Talk’.

Morton Street Group photographed with tutor Biddy O’Dwyer at the Aontas Adult Learners Festival’s ‘Walk and Talk’.

Interim Ash Die-Back Scheme Does Not Acknowledge Financial Hit for Farmers

IFA Farm Forestry Chair

Jason Fleming said the lack of recognition in the interim ash dieback scheme for the significant financial loss incurred by farmers is a serious blow to those whose ash woodlands have been devastated by this disease.

“The increased clearance and grant rates announced under the interim scheme are positive developments and reflect the increased cost of getting the work done, but the scheme does not compensate farmers for the loss of timber earnings,” said Jason Fleming.

Under the interim scheme, the site clearance grant rate has increased to €2,000 and grant rates are in line with the new Forestry Programme

2023-2027.

Applicants whose sites are still in premium will continue to receive this for the remaining years, but will be eligible for a premium top up to the new rate of the forest type established.

He said consecutive Ministers have failed to fully appreciate the devastation caused by the disease and the severe financial cost to farmers.

“These farmers have been left with nothing. Until the Government acknowledges the financial loss and provides compensation to farmers by reinstating a 20-year premium on the replanted land, we will never see farmers planting at the rates required to meet our climate targets,” he concluded.

Delayed Farm Scheme Payments Unacceptable

Speaking after the Farmers’ Charter of Rights meeting in Portlaoise today, IFA Deputy President Brian Rushe completely rejected any proposed delay in farm payments under the new CAP. He called for an independent Chair to oversee meaningful negotiations.

‘What we had today with the Department was not a negotiation. We were basically presented with a proposed payment schedule and essentially it was a case of take it or leave it,” he said.

“We need to go back to the drawing board here, appoint an independent Chair to manage negotiations and first establish the core principles to underpin

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the new Charter before we even get into the nitty gritty of any individual schemes. We fully appreciate the added complexity of the new CAP, for all involved, but it cannot always be the farmer who loses out. Farm schemes are just too important. The Charter has proven it can work, for the mutual benefit of all, but we’ve started on the wrong foot here,” he said.

IFA Rural Development Chair Michael Biggins said farmers, particularly those in the vulnerable sectors, simply cannot afford any delay in farm payments. It’s proposed the ANC, for example, would be pushed back to mid-October. It normally

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lands the week of the Ploughing every year. September is always an expensive month with children going back to school/college etc.

“It’s just not acceptable. The scheme is basically the same as it was in the old CAP. It seems it’s all to accommodate AMS and 100% inspection, when 5% was deemed satisfactory previously. Farmers’ rights are not being considered. We need open dialogue and practical solutions. Today, Department officials left with the clear message that IFA would not accept any delay in farm payments,” he said.

The next Charter of Rights meeting is expected in early April.

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FETHARD: Joe Kenny

Master craftsman Philip Quinn at Fethard Town Park

Local townspeople in Fethard had the rare opportunity to see a master craftsman at work this week. Stonemason Philip Quinn was plying his trade in raising the stone wall that marks the boundary between Cois Falla and Fethard Town Park. To the casual observer, he works with seemingly effortless precision, adopting a steady rhythm, selecting the appropriate stone from a seemingly random pile, unerringly placing it in position so that the new wall emerges in perfect harmony with what already exists. Such expertise is, of course, born of long practice and attention to detail.

While in Fethard, Philip also took time to instruct three young Third Year students from the local Patrician Presentation Secondary School in the art of carving Portland stone and sandstone. The three students were: Bernard Cawley, Richard

Murphy, and James Ferncombe. He also gave those lucky pupils an insight into the specialised world of restoration and conservation as exemplified in his work as you can see from the workshop photos below.

Philip is based at his own ‘Stonemad Workshop’ in Holycross where he focuses on his work as a sculptor. He has also worked on conservation projects in such places Holycross Abbey and Lismore Castle. He currently facilitates workshops for various entities such as schools and the prison service and he is featured in Cashel Library’s ‘A Series of Mnásome Events’ which runs throughout the month of March. It seems particularly fitting that stonemason Philip Quinn, a talented exponent of one of the world’s oldest crafts, should be working his magic in the Town Park, the newest addition to the medieval walled town of Fethard.

Special Mass for the Elderly on Tuesday, April 4

Fethard’s Holy Trinity Parish Church will hold a special ‘Mass for the Elderly’, including the ‘Sacrament of The Sick’ on Tuesday,

April 4, at 11am. Fethard & District Day Care Centre will host tea and light bites afterwards in the Convent Chapel. All are welcome.

Social Dancing in Fethard Ballroom

Fethard Ballroom continues its social dancing on Sunday, March 19, to the music of ‘Blue Lace’. All are welcome to come along and enjoy a great night’s entertainment and social dancing

from 8.30pm to 11.30pm. Admission is €10, which includes tea and cakes. For further information or for booking the Ballroom, contact Eileen Coady, Tel: 086 0776420.

GAA Sports Development Lotto Results

Fethard GAA Sports Lotto draw results for Tuesday, March 14, 2023, are as follows: the numbers drawn were: 5, 22, 32 and 34. We had no Jackpot winner and no Match 3 winner. One Lucky

Dip winner received €100: Paul Fitzgerald. The next draw takes place on Tuesday, March 21, when the jackpot is €18,000. The funds raised are used to promote sport in the local community.

Community Games Swimming

The County Finals of Community Games Swimming will take place in Thurles Pool on Sunday March 19. Girls’ warm-up time is 1.30pm with competition starting at 2pm. The boys’ warm-up time is 1.45pm with competition starting at 2pm.

Entry Fee €3 per competitor must be paid to Noreen Sheehy. Area Secretary. Age groups from U10 to U16 must be under the age specified on July 31, 2023, and live in the Area. The order of events is as follows: Freestyle, Breaststroke, Backstroke, Butterfly, and Squads.

Job opportunity at Fethard & District Day Care Centre

Fethard and District Day Care Centre CLG Are recruiting a manager for our elderly Day Care Centre. Permanent contract for suitable candidate – 35 hours per week – Monday to Friday. Remuneration commensurate with experience, subject to company’s budget.

Candidates may be short-listed based on their CV. Please apply in writing, including full CV, to Directors, Fethard & District Day Care Centre CLG, Tirry Community Centre, Barrack Street, Fethard, Co. Tipperary, on or before 4pm, Friday, March 24, 2023.

Parish Church Lotto Draw Results

There was no jackpot winner in this week’s Parish Lotto on Thursday, March 9, 2023. The numbers drawn were 4, 6, 9 and 24. The winner of the weekly draw for €30 was Iain Meagher. Next week’s Jackpot for Thursday,

March 16, will be €3,875. Please pass the word on and invite friends and family to take part. You can help our Parish in a real, practical way. Thank you for your support and the best of luck in our next weekly draw.

The late Frances Greene who died on Tuesday, February 28, 2023

The death has occurred on Tuesday, February 28, 2023, of Frances Greene, Kiltinan, Fethard, and Carrick-on-Suir. Frances is sadly missed by her partner Kieran Duggan, and loving daughters Shannon and Nicole, her mother Noreen, brothers Michael and John, sister Catherine, Tina, Annemarie and Mary, grandchildren Brogan and Keegan, nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews, relatives and friends. Interment took place in St Mary’s Cemetery, Carrick-on-Suir. May she rest in peace.

Died Recently Died Recently Died Recently

The late Annie Anglim who died on Monday, February 27, 2023

The death has occurred on Monday, February 27, 2023, of Annie Anglim (née Eivers), Ballinard, Fethard. Predeceased by her husband Tom and recently her son-in-law Liam, she will be sadly missed by her daughter Geraldine (Meagher), sons Paul and Thomas, daughtersin-law Geraldine and Finola, grandchildren, sister-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews, relatives, neighbours, and friends. Interment took place in Cloneen. May she rest in peace.

The late Hanora Phelan who died on Monday, March 6, 2023

The death has occurred on Monday, March 6, 2023, of Hanora Phelan (née Power), Fethard. Deeply regretted by her daughters and sons Georgina, Lucy, William, Clara, Pat and Anthony, relatives, and friends. Funeral Mass took place in the Church of the Sacred Heart, Killusty, on Friday, March 10, followed by private cremation. May she rest in peace.

Stonemason Philip Quinn plying his trade at Fethard Town Park’s boundary wall beside Cois Falla.

Stonemason Philip Quinn working with students from Patrician Presentation Secondary School in the art of carving Portland stone and sandstone.

DUNDRUM: Sean Breen

NOTES FOR THE PAPER

If you wish to put in local notes please send same to rangerbreen@ gmail.com no later than 6pm on the previous Sunday night

KICKHAM GAA

KICKHAM LOTTO

Last Monday night the Kickhams Lotto Jackpot was worth €5,600. Tickets are available in Butlers Centra, Quirke’s Garage, Heffernan’s Food store and from any committee member or online before 6pm next Monday. If unable to get to shops please support online with the following link: https://bit.ly/3cUNn3n

COMMUNITY COUNCIL

NOTES

LYPSYNC FUNDRAISER!

There’s nothing we can say about our lipsync show last Saturday night that hasn’t been said all over social media, and to us as a committee during the last few days. It was a pure magical, enjoyable night for everyone that attended. There are so many people we have thank, our judges, Fiona Kennedy, Lisa Ó Keeffe, John Bubbles Ó Dwyer, our wonderful MC and host, Phil Ryan, Don and Colin Andrews on sound lighting and staging, Lauren Maguire, our talented choreographer who put the whole show together, Dónal Ryan in Tipperary print and design for designing and printing

GOLDEN KILFEACLE GAA & PARISH

Daffodil Day

Daffodil day is Friday March 24th

In aid of The Irish Cancer Society Daffodils ’s will be available all day outside Gala shop in Golden

Your support would be greatly appreciated. Any queries to 0876252872

RejuvenateGolden Gym

Fantastic Giveaway

3 months gym membership plus 4 personal training sessions with Bradley Barry. Check out RejuvenateGolden fb and instragram pages for more info

Like & share folks!to be in with a chance to win!!

Golden Days Preschool

Please note

Golden days Preschool and Afterschools are now taking bookings for ECCE year starting September 2023. They are located within Golden Kilfeacle

BALLYLOOBY/DUHILL

Ballylooby/Castlegrace

Development Lotto

Result 7/3/23. No jackpot winner, no match three, 4 lucky dips: Brenda Coffey, Ellen Costello, Breda Ryan & Nora Keating. Next weeks jackpot €3,700. The club extend their thanks for your support. Tickets available from usual outlets & clubforce.com-

Ballylooby/Castlegrace Gaa

South/West under 17B Football

League Result:

Knockmealdown Gaels 1-09

Golden/Kilfeacle 2-06

South Under 13 B Football

Championship Result

Ballylooby/Castlegrace: 4-15

Kilsheelin/Kilcash: 4-04

Another good result for our Under 13 Footballers this morning, well done everybody.

Easter Camp

Ballylooby/Castlegrace GAA will host a Tipperary GAA Easter Camp on 4th to 6th April 10am to 1pm. Cost is €40 and must be booked through the link below: https://tipperary.gaa.ie/ shop/2023-easter-camps/

Duhill Community Centre

Daffodil Day

The annual Tea/coffee morning will take place on this Friday St

our programme, all our sponsors, businesses and individuals who took out adverts, and Chadwick’s, our main sponsors.

We’ve had a brilliant committee working on this since July, and to all our volunteers who came on board in the last 2 weeks to bring the show to life.

Finally, to all our performers, they were absolutely brilliant, and put on a top class show, which was the result of their commitment to rehearsals since November.

Congratulations to our winner, Valerie Mackey, who received her prize from Paddy Dalton, Chadwick’s. Valerie performed a song from Flash dance.

Marcella Collins

“SHARE THE SPOILS”

Our share the spoils this week will have the extra bonus of two winners, as we didn’t do the draw last week. All envelopes and on line entries sold last week will be included in the draw tomorrow night.

KEEP SAFE AND WELL!

We would like to remind people that the security phones, with pendants etc. are still available for eligible people. This equipment offers a great sense of security and peace of mind, so if interested, please contact any member of Knockavilla community Council, or pick up an application form at the health centre, Dundrum.

CLOGHEEN: PJ English

Three Billboards Outside Clogheen

This years play is by Bernard Farrell who wrote this wonderful play called “I Do Not Like Thee Dr Fell”. Rehearsing is on going and the play will be on stage on Thursday, Friday and Sunday, 23rd, 24th and 25th March. Tickets will be for sale over the next couple of weeks. Tickets on sale at the Fruit and Veg Shop 0527465951 and on 0877984929 also at Ballyporeen Post Office.

Jesse Kiely found the net in the 70th minute from a Shanbally corner. Shanbally faced the last fifteen minutes a man down but battled on and were rewarded in injury time when the ever willing Conor English penalised the Borris defence trying to play out from the back with an excellent finish to give Shanbally a place in the semi final of the Tipperary Youths Cup.

GAA complex in Golden village beside Golden NS. Please contact Stephanie Lawrence on 086 8049189 for further details.

Irish Night

The Function Room at the Bridge House Bar Golden is the place to be on Thursday night.

Dance the night away at Irish Night. Playing on the night is the fantastic Eddie Keogh. Music starts at 9pm. A great night of dancing guaranteed.

Music Festival

Sunday 26th March in Golden Kilfeacle GAA complex main hall, Golden Country Music Festival will host an array of top country music stars. Dancing from 2.30pm to 6.30pm with bar facilities. Tickets available locally and from John O’Brien Obs Kilross on 087 8253139 or Nellie

O’Connor on 087 6228932.

Dinner Dance

Tickets are now on sale for our joint GAA & LGFA Dinner Dance with medal presentation on Saturday 15th April in Ballykisteen Hotel Tipperary. Tickets are €40. Available from Brian Leamy 087 7975044, John Currivan 086 1579918, Declan Donnelly 087 6227225, Stuart Agar 083 4397015. New Play Delighted to post about a new play coming to Bru Boru Cashel in April.

“Big Splash/Small Fish” from the pen of our own Jim Keane will showcase on Friday 14th Saturday 15th April in Bru Boru Cashel.Curtain up at 8pm. Tickets just €15 available by contacting Bru Boru on 062 61122.

Kathleen Moloney

A brilliant 2 Act Comedy everyone will enjoy. Best of luck to Jim and Team with this play. Concert

A huge fully seated concert will take place on Saturday 22nd April at 8pm in Golden Kilfeacle GAA complex main hall in Golden Tipperary. Take It To The Limit, Music of the Eagles With Johnny Brady, Simon Casey, Nigel Connell and The Sheerin Family Band. Bar facilities on the night.

Tidy Villages

Don’t forget our Table Quiz night at the Bridge House Bar Golden on Good Friday night at 8pm Tables of 4 with great prizes. More details to follow.

GAA

Best of luck to all our teams taking to the playing fields from this weekend .

Admission €10. Start time is 8pm. Vee Rovers FC Pride of place this week goes to Shanbally United youths who played first division Two Mile Borris at Scart on Saturday in the quater final of the Tipperary Youths cup. Borris attacked from the kick off but an interception rsulted in a counter attack and Conor English was at the end of a fleeting move to give the home side the lead in the first minute. Borris dominated most of the first half and equalised after 24 minutes and scrambled a lead goal just before the interval. The second half was played under trying conditions weather wise, but the home side dug in and eventually got a leveller when

The Juniors were at home to St Michaels on Sunday morning with a depleated team taking on the Semi fnalist of the FAI Junior Cup, this was always going to be a big ask. The Tipperary side were 3-0 up at half time and added two more goals in the second half despite the best efforts of the home side who never gave up all day.

The resialliance of the home side in such circumstances has to be applauded and we look forward to supporting them the next season in the first division.

Clogheen Notes - If you have notes for to be include in this paper, please forward them to or phone or text me on 087 798 4929 or drop them into the Vee Valley Fruit and Veg Shop Clogheen before 6pm Saturday.

Patrick’s Day after 9:30am mass

Ballylooby News

Bring the kids, have a bit of fun and honour our patron saint this coming Sunday. The Ballylooby St. Patrick’s Parade is on March 19th at 11:30 am. We’ll have music with Cahir Comhaltas Ceoltóirí, the one and only Gerry Duffy as MC, food, hot drinks, face painting, and tons of fun for everyone. Bring the Mammy out for Mother’s Day and join the community!

If you’d like to show off a bit or promote your business, decorate your vehicle and come on out!

Contact anyone on the committee or message our Ballylooby Community Council Facebook page.

See you there!

Sean Hogan/Safe House/ Families

On Sunday next the 19th of March the annual Sean Hogan/SafeHouse Families/ Local IRA Active Service Unit Commemoration will take place. This years main oration will be given by Dr.Ruan

O Donnell the head of the History Department at UL.Dr. O Donnell has written a number of books on Irish Republicanism and featured

in TV documentaries. Treacy Hogan a Grandson of Sean will also speak,and the ‘Rebel Hearts’ Tipperarys finest Rebel band will play.This years event falls on Mothers day and it makes it a very special occassion as without the great women of the Safe Houses and Cumann na mBan the IRA would not have been able to prosecute their guerilla war in pursuit of freedom.The march begins at 3pm assembling at Fitzgeralds Killinure. This event is non political and all are welcome.

Ballyporeen/Clogheen/Burncourt

Heritage Group

The heritage group AGM will take place on Tuesday 28th March in Ballyporeen Reagan Centre. Motions are welcome.

Ballylooby National School Sports

Field

Music, song & Craic in aid of our parish school sports field in Duhill hall on Saturday March 25th at 8:15pm. Tickets from: Michaél: 086-0251277, Lina: 0871334104

Sympathy

The death occurred of Kay Carrigan, Kilcoran, Cahir & late of Tarbert Co. Kerry. We extend our sympathy to her husband Edward, son Conor, daughters Susan, Lorraine & Louise, brothers, sister, grandchildren sons-inlaw, extended family, relatives & friends. Mrs. Carrigan’s funeral mass took place in St Kieran’s Church, Ballylooby on Monday March 6th. May she rest in peace

Clogheen Drama Group rehearsing for this years play “I Do not like thee Dr Fell,” by Bernard Farrell and directed by Trish Hickey in Clogheen hall on Thursday to Saturday 23rd to 25th of March at 8pm . adm €10.

FUZZ’D UP

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email: info@osullivanhygiene.com

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CREATING A HEALTHY SOCIETY

FREE SAME DAY DELIVERY IN CLONMEL AND SURROUNDING AREAS SHOP OPEN MONDAY TO FRIDAY 9:00AM TO 5:00PM

12th and 2nd Anniversaries

To place your anniversary call 052 61 24894 or email info@thepremiernewspaper.com

Birthday Remembrance

O’LOUGHLIN (47th Birthday)

CARROLL Marlfield Clonmel

In loving memory of a dear son & brother, Ian late of Marlfield, Clonmel who died on 19th April 2011 and whose birthday occurs on 27th April.

Also Jimmy Carroll who died on the 2nd March 2021. Loved & remembered always by Mam Pat, brother’s Lenny, Eric, Conor, Jamie & Gary, sisters Mary, Fiona, Gillian, Lisa, Grainne & Aishling. Brothers in law, sisters in law, nieces and nephews and grandchildren.

Also remembering baby Shane on 26th April and baby Claire on 29th April. Always in your hearts

Pat Brother

You gave no one a last farewell, Nor ever said good-bye. You were gone before we knew it, and only God knows why. It broke our hearts to lose you, but you didn’t go alone, for part of us went with you, the day God took you home. We will meet again someday I know in a better place. I thank God he made you our brother While you were here on earth.

Loved and deeply missed by your brothers and sisters.

In Memoriam In Memoriam

Daniels Flaherty (1st Anniversary) (3rd Anniversary)

In Memoriam

Kavanagh (3rd Anniversary)

1st Anniversary 26th March

“On this the first anniversary of Paul’s passing, Breda, John-Paul, Mandy and Ami, their partners, grandchildren, brothers and sisters would sincerely like to thank all those on their sad bereavement. To Fennessy Funeral directors for their kindness and compassion, to Fr. John Treacy for the lovely service, to Kate Ryan’s and staff, Miss Ellies for all their help and to Little Island Crematorium for the beautiful ceremony they provided. And finally to all the people who attended and sent mass cards, the holy sacrifice of the Mass will be offered for your intentions.”

Paul’s first Anniversary Mass will be held on 26th March 2023 in St. Peter and Paul’s Church at 11.30am.

In loving memory of Helen Flaherty, Glenconnor Cross, Clonmel who died on 18th March 2020.

Your life was one of kindly deeds, a helping hand for others needs, Sincere and true in heart and mind, beautiful memories left behind.

Sadly missed and much loved by your husband Bernie.

Helen’s Anniversary Mass will be held at St Mary’s Church, Irishtown, Clonmel on Saturday March 18th at 10am.

In loving memory of Mary Kavanagh late of 42 Baron Park whose 3rd anniversary occurs on 20th March.

Always remembered by her loving family.

Anniversary Mass on Sun March 19th in St Peter and Paul’s at 12.30 pm.

Paul Wilderness, Clonmel

Helen Glenconnor Cross, Clonmel

Mary 42 Baron Park, Clonmel

Clonmel Athletic Club excel at Nenagh Indoors

In a hive of activity in Nenagh, Clonmel AC athletes filtered in with great enthusiasm, nervous energy and bursts of excited chatter. You should all be so proud of yourselves. The club feeling was in full flow throughout the day, and that’s all down to yourselves. Our results have been compiled based on what was available during the last couple of days.

Thank you Tipperary Athletics for compiling this - a lot of hard work went in to it.

If we have missed anyone, please let us know (email clonmelacpro@ gmail.com).

In the 60m U14 girls we had Cara Ryan representing us and coming home with a fantastic first place, and a gold medal. Well done Cara.

In the 60m boys U14, we saw Adam Prout tie the line and coming home with a first place win and another gold medal.

Super stuff Adam.

We also saw Harry Weymouth putting in a great performance in the U15 60m boys finishing in 5th place. Well done Harry.

Adhvaith Sarath Divakaran represented us in the 60m U16 boys race, and coming home with a bronze medal. Fabulous to see Adhvaith. Well done.

The Junior mens race for the same 60m distance saw Jack Boland coming in with a 4th place finish. Great running Jack, just slightly outside medal position, but great effort! It was very close on times.

The 300m run saw 6 entries from Clonmel, as it is a manageable distance for the younger athletes, it’s quite popular. Congratulations to Billy Heaney (u10) with a beautiful bronze medal for his efforts. Great running Billy.

The 600m distance is quite a step up in effort but Clonmel saw 5 entries for this distance. Pippa Wallace (u12 girl) secured a bronze medal over the distance with a very clear gap to the 4th place competitor. Well done Pippa.

In the boys U12 600m Fionn Aird fought his way to the top step of the podium with a very convincing gold medal performance. Congratulations Fionn. Your hard work is paying off.

Noah Doocey, U12 took on this longer distance finishing in 12th place. Well done Noah.

Ellie o Donnell (u13) also raced the distance, getting some race experience at this level of endurance and finishing in 8th place. Well done Ellie.

In the U13 boys we had Dara

o Loughlin and Declan Hayes competing, both showing they’re up for the challenge finishing in 5th and 13th place. Well done to you both.

In the 800m distance there was a fantastic gold medal performance for 2 absolutely brilliant athletes, Emer Brennan (u16 girls) and Darragh Boland (u15 boys). Fantastic running by both athletes, showing their hard work is paying off for them.

The 800m U14 boys entry for Clonmel saw Ryan Kennedy finishing in 6th place. Well done Ryan.

The 800m u15 girls saw 3 Clonmel teammates, friends and training partners Alice Meegan, Hannah Murray and Lily Casey coming home in 5th, 6th and 7th place respectively. Well done girls.

The hurdles for indoors are typically 60m in distance. And as our own coach Maireád Smith says, “hurdles smell fear”, but our athletes did not show any such fear! We saw a host of medals over the day with Ellie o Donnell claiming Gold on her first time out for this discipline. No fear shown Ellie! Congratulations.

Next up was Cara Ryan (u14) giving a beautiful demonstration on her hurdles, claiming herself the top step and a gold medalfantastic stuff Cara. Well done.

The U16 girls had 2 Clonmel athletes entered and both claiming their silverware. Emer Brennan claimed Gold, and Lily Casey Silver. Brilliant stuff girls. Very exciting to watch.

Another tough fast race for the 200m girls with Cara Ryan (u14) showing no mercy on her competitors, taking a first place finish and a gold medal for her hard effort. Well done Cara.

In the same race we saw Clair Moore (u14) finish in 10th place with a tiny margin from 1st to 10th place. Well done Clair.

Alice Meegan (u15) had a strong 5th place finish in the 200m race -great running Alice.

Harry Weymouth (u15) placed with a 5th place result in the 200m race also, well done Harry.

The hardy Emer Brennan (u16) took her well deserved top spot in the 200m race also with her gold winning performance.

Congratulations Emer. Proving that you are a great all round athlete.

Our Junior athlete Jack Boland fought for his silver medal in the 200m distance. A very quick race, congratulations Jack. In this same race, team mate and training

partner Ruairí Costin was only a fraction outside a medal position finishing in 5th place. Well done Ruairí. Right behind in the very same race was Tadhg Quinn, with a 7th place result. Well done Tadhg.

Tadhg Quinn must have been saving himself for his Gold medal performance in the 400m Junior men race. A stormer of a finish!

Well done Tadhg. Great result.

In the same race saw Jack Boland finishing with 4th place. Good running Jack in a very fast race.

Our race walkers all proved their efforts are paying off, with Gold medals and PB’s for Niamh Clarke (u15), Ivy Rhatigan Thompson (u16) and Sam o Sullivan (junior men). Well done and this should set all 3 up for their Munster Indoors next weekend - back up in Nenagh.

Clonmel u9 athletes took on the Long Jump with vigor.

Congratulations Grace Kennedy hitting the longest jump on the day and coming home with a gold medal. You should be very proud Grace.

Clubmates Clara O’Donnell finished in 7th place, Áine o Flynn finished in 12th place and Eimear Horgan finished up in 13th place. Fantastic work girls!

The boys U9 long jump had another great performance from Eoin Heaney, picking up a super silver medal for his hard work. Congratulations Eoin. In the same age category we saw Darragh o Donnell finishing in 9th place, which was a brilliant result, in such a big field. Well done Darragh.

Our u10 boys saw Adam Walshe finish in 18th place. Well done Adam. As a new member it’s so brave to compete in a busy field and you held your own - well done. We also had Aodhán o Keeffe competing at the long jump and finished up in 31st place. Well done Aodhán. We hope you enjoyed the day.

Our u13 girls Judy o Donnell and Áine Horgan out in great performances finishing up in 6th and 13th places respectively. Well done girls.

The U11 long jump boys had to work hard with a huge number of entries, but the silver medal came home in Darragh Heaney’s pocket! Well done Darragh. In the same event we had Cathal Egan finish in 9th place, Paddy Kennedy in 14th and Cillian Hayes in 21st - well done boys!

Ciarán Horgan was our U12 long jumper, and hit a brilliant 4th place. Well done Ciarán.

The girls U13 long jump had Ellie o Donnell competing and finishing with a 6th place result. Well done Ellie.

The boys U13 long jump had Declan Hayes competing and finished with an 11th place finish. Well done Declan.

Our U14 athletes had 2 entries and both came home with very impressive Gold medals!

Congratulations Cara Ryan and Adam Prout. A great result for 2 very hard working athletes. In the Junior mens we had 3 entrants with Jack Boland winning a bronze medal, well done! Great result. Also competing was Ruairí

Costin coming in with a 4th place finish and Adhvaith Sarath Divakaran with a 7th place finish. Huge well done to Seamus Meegan coming in with a 4th place result for the U12 2kg shotput. That’s a great result Seamus. Well done. We also had 2 U14 girls competing in the shotput, congratulations Cara Ryan coming home with a silver medal and Moya o Donnell finishing in 6th place.

Another fantastic Gold medal for Cara Ryan in the U14 high jump. Equaling her own PB of 1.55m. A massive well done for this jump. Cara had to wait until quite late in the day to compete and even

though most of the supporters had gone home, Cara still pulled a huge performance out of the bag. And our final result received for the County Indoors in Nenagh saw Emer Brennan (u16) high jumping her way to a silver medal position. Awesome stuff Emer.

In a last roundup, a massive thank you to every coach, volunteer, parent, guardian, judge, supporter and first aid personnel. There is a tremendous amount of work to be done in preparation for these events, and in the aftermath. Thank you all.

Liam made us dream and showed us the path to the promised land

by Enda O’Sullivan

There was a great sense of shock and disbelief last Sunday evening as news began to circulate about the sudden and sad passing of larger-than-life character Liam Kearns. The Kerry native spread the footballing gospel far beyond his native Austin Stacks leaving a formidable and lasting legacy in Limerick, Laois and Tipperary and sadly, we will never find out what he would have achieved with Offaly.

In his playing career he won an All-Ireland minor medal in 1980 and was part of the Kerry panel which claimed the senior title in 1986, defeating Tyrone. He claimed a coveted Kerry senior championship medal in 1986 with Austin Stacks.

As a manager at inter-county level, he came to the fore when he led Limerick to the Munster under-21 championship and they later lost the All-Ireland decider to Mickey Harte’s Tyrone. He progressed to the senior side and came agonisingly close to winning the Munster senior football championship with the Shannonsiders in 2003 and 2004, the latter after a replay when a catch for the ages from over his own crossbar by Darragh O’Sé denied Limerick a famous win in the drawn game.

He took the reins in Laois following the departure of fellow Kerry man Mick O’Dwyer and worked with John Evans when he was in charge of Roscommon.

He later brought his footballing knowledge to West Tipperary when he guided Aherlow to the O’Dwyer Cup in 2010 and they unfortunately lost the Munster final, after leading for the majority of the match, to Dr. Crokes who only managed to draw level in the 63rd minute of that game.

Kearns was a tactically astute

manager; a superb reader of the game and his knowledge of players and counties was unmatched. His ability to analyze teams gave his players confidence as they knew everything about their direct opponents, from which foot they preferred to kick from to what side they would attack. He had an ability to give his players unmatched belief and confidence in themselves which saw his sides win matches they had no right to.

His time in charge of Tipperary brought the county to places they never thought they’d see. The Premier recorded their first win over Cork since 1944 when two late Kevin O’Halloran points secured a 3-15 to 2-16 victory and sparked wild scenes of celebrations in Semple Stadium. A disappointing performance in the Munster final belied what was to follow. He masterfully engaged with mind games, complaining about the game against Derry being fixed for Kingspan Breffni Park while secretly delighted with the venue knowing it would suit Tipperary’s expansive style. Two late Conor Sweeney points secured a fantastic win and Tipperary marched onto the All-Ireland quarter final with Galway the opposition.

Arguably, the Premier produced their best performance under Kearns in this encounter and won a famous game by nine points. The outpouring of emotion from Tipperary fans at full time will live long in the memory as supporters, ignoring the pleas of the Croke Park announcer to leave the stadium, made their way across from the Cusack and Davin Stands to salute their heroes in front of Michael Hogan’s stand. How proud would the Grangemockler man have been that day?

Two weeks later, for the first time

since 1935, a Tipperary senior football team graced an All-Ireland semi-final as supporters genuinely believed that a senior All-Ireland double, last achieved by Tipperary in 1900, was on however, after an amazing start to the game, a dubious black card for Robbie Kiely halted our progression and Mayo finished as five-point winners. Despite the loss, the Tipperary public had taken Liam Kearns’ side to the hearts and our footballers were feted as heroes. He made the Tipperary public not just dream, but believe that our footballers could not just compete with but beat any county out there. While 2017 did not reach the highs of the previous year there were still many magical moments. Our final league game saw Tipperary travel to Armagh with the winners guaranteed promotion to Division Two and to qualify for the league final the following week. Entering injury time Tipperary trailed by five points but such was the belief that Kearns had instilled in the side they did not lose faith and a late Michael Quinlivan goal, with just six seconds remaining, sparked a pitch invasion and celebrations that matched any championship win as the Premier snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. Tipperary comfortably defeated Louth by nine points the following week in Croke Park to claim rare silverware as captain Brian Fox, after a master class from Conor Sweeney, led them to the league title. Another great day in 2017 was our championship victory over Cavan in Kingspan Breffni Park. Again, Kearns’ fingerprints were all over this win as Tipperary showed the steely resolve and determination Liam had brought to the side as they came from what appeared like an impossible position at half

time to run out 2-15 to 0-18 points winners.

A great man manager, Brian Fox who captained the Tipperary side that won the Division Three league title in 2017 under Kearns describes him as a man who “loved having the craic with players and slagging them over incidents in matches but he didn’t mind being the butt of the joke either” however when “it came to football he was meticulous in his preparation; match ups, strategies, psychology”. “He had us so well prepared for that Galway quarter final that the Galway players were commenting that he must have watched their training session about their kickouts”.

Tipperary stalwart George Hannigan remembers Liam fondly. Following Liam’s final match in charge after the defeat to Down in 2019, Hannigan recalls Kearns announcing to the panel that he was stepping down:

“It was one of the most emotional dressing rooms I was ever in after a match, I wasn’t part of the squad that year but Paul Fitzgerald invited me into the dressing room after the game in which Tipp lost to Down in Newry to hear Liam speak. You could see how much his time with Tipperary meant to him such was the emotion in his voice. Players were the same and there were tears in a lot of people’s eyes as players thought back on the journey they had been on with Liam and his management. It’s rare you see that type of bond between players and manager but he just had a way with his players. There was so much enjoyment and craic around being a Tipperary Footballer during Liam’s tenure.

I got to experience occasions and victories that I was beginning to think would never happen. That was all down to Liam. I know that he would have taken the Offaly team on a similar journey such was his determination and mindset. He will be missed by all but has left a lasting impression on so many people up and down the country.”

Perhaps Liam’s selector and coach with Tipperary, Shane Stapleton, sums up the character of the man best of all and it is fitting that we leave the final words to him:

“I’d first of all like to say that Liam Kearns was not perfect. He would be cranky when we lost, he would be slow to buy a pint when we won, he would overwork the management team, he would have video analysis sessions that would go on for hours etc. BUT he was the boss, he was our “major” and we wouldn’t want him any other

way. We looked up to him like a messiah and loved him as our leader. Liam cast a huge shadow on Tipp football and that’s why his passing is so sad. Obviously, it can’t compare to the grief of Angela and family, but Liam was the glue that bound us all together. Liam assembled the back-room team, Liam picked the players, Liam planned four great years of all our lives and orchestrated so many sporting ambushes along the way. The footballing highlights and great nights out were obvious, but the bonds were sincere and all of this was based on Liam’s characteristics; integrity, honesty, loyalty, charisma and leadership were his currency of choice and we all bought into it. Liam made us dream, showed us the path to the promised land and the class of 2016 and onwards will all cherish the memories for the rest of time.”

“It’s rare you see that type of bond between players and manager but he just had a way with his players”

The late Liam Kearns.

Extra Time with Ronan Quirke

Join Ronan on Extra Time every Monday night at 7pm on TippFM Russia and the Paris Olympics

The first Olympic Games that I remember in any detail was the Moscow Games in 1980. Ireland had failed to medal for so long and there was real celebration when we won a silver in sailing (David Wilkins and Jamie Wilkinson) and a bronze in boxing (Hugh Russell). But those Games were blighted by the US led boycott, which had the effect of 65 nations refusing to participate and 80 countries deciding to compete. The reason for the boycott was a protest at the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan the previous year.

In early 1980, the movement toward either boycotting the games altogether or moving them out of the Soviet Union gained momentum. Calls for boycotts of Olympic events were not uncommon; just four years prior, most of the nations of SubSaharan Africa boycotted the Summer Games in Montreal to protest the attendance of New Zealand after the AllBlacks played apartheid-era South Africa. In 1956, several Western European governments boycotted the games in Melbourne over the Soviet invasion of Hungary that year. Although the Olympic ideal was to place sport above politics, in reality there were often political goals and messages promoted through the games.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) also has a track record of excluding nations from competing for various reasons. South Africa were excluded from 1960-1992 due to its Apartheid regime and Afghanistan as recently as 2000 due to the Taliban regime.

So what to do about Russia and Belarus athletes ahead of next summer’s games in Paris? The soundings coming out of IOC

headquarters in Lausanne suggests that Russian and Belarus athletes will be allowed to compete provided that no flag, anthem, colours or any other identifications whatsoever of these two countries be displayed. Well, the organisers of the Australian tennis Open tried something similar earlier this year but a quarter final pairing saw Russian Andrey Rublev take on Serbian Novak Djokovic. What we saw was Russian flags with the face of Vladimir Putin on them, Serbian Flags with ‘long live Russians’ written on them, the Z-symbol of the invading Russian army in Ukraine and a Donetsk ‘Peoples Republic’ flag (so-called). There was no way that the Australian Open officials could police such patriotic shows.

Worst still, Djokovic’s father was in the middle of it all. A media circus ensued.

So if Russian and Belarus athletes are permitted to compete in Paris, how can the IOC’s desire that no flags or symbols are present be policed. Or perhaps a Russian athlete may break ranks and use a medal ceremony to make a political point as happened recently when Russian gymnast Ivan Kuliak taped a Z-symbol to the front of his outfit before standing on a medal podium last year. The winner of the event was Ukrainian incidentally. Can you ask Ukrainian athletes to compete against their sworn enemies at an Olympic Games?

In 1992, the former Yugoslavia was falling apart. The European Football Championships were taking place and the Yugoslav team were excluded, their place taken by Denmark, who promptly went on and, unexpectedly, won the tournament. The Barcelona Olympic Games that year had no difficulty in allowing

‘neutral; athletes from the former Yugoslavia to compete. Even though UN sanctions against the Serbian dominated state were in place at the time.

Last year, organisers of the Wimbledon Championships excluded tennis players from Russia and Belarus in response to Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine. This did not go down well with the hierarchy in world tennis. The ATP and WTP responded by stripping Wimbledon of any ranking points saying that the exclusion of the players undermined the integrity of the tour. The All-England Club learned its lesson and will welcome Russian and Belarus players this year. The ethical stand in South West London only lasted a year apparently.

As you read this, innocent civilians are being bombed in towns and cities such as Kharkiv in Ukraine.

The distance from Kharkiv to Paris is 2,850km. That is less than the distance from Perth to Sydney

(3,900km). An Olympic Games is going to take place as close to a war zone as it has ever done in modern times. And it is possible that Ukrainian athletes will be competing alongside athletes representing the country that invaded their homeland. That is what the IOC wants. But what does Ukraine want? They do not want Russian or Belarus athletes near the Paris Olympic Games. And if the IOC acquiesce and allow those athletes compete, then there is a very real risk that Ukraine will boycott the Paris Olympics and might well expect other countries to follow suit. What should Ireland do in such a scenario? Should politics be brought to bear on a sporting occasion? Has politics any place in sport? You would like to say that it hasn’t but that is purely naive. How nationalistic do you feel when O’Donovan and McCarthy win gold and Amhrán na bhFiann is playing and the tricolour is raised? Other regimes pin nationalistic sentiment to

Olympic success. It may have started in Berlin in 1936 but it didn’t end there. If Russia and Belarus are allowed to compete any success would be harnessed by Putin and used for his own propaganda. Russia, bear in mind, are so desperate for Olympic success that the state actively participated in doping it’s athletes. The athletes did not have to trawl the web to find steroids and other performance enhancing drugs. They Russian state provided them and facilitated bogus testing that allowed said athletes to escape getting caught.

That is not to say that all Russian and Belarus athletes support the invasion of Ukraine, or are actively doping. And they too have been preparing for 4 or 8, maybe 12 years for a chance at Olympic glory. Shouldn’t they be allowed to compete as neutral athletes? But if they are, then this has knock on effects for Ukrainian athletes who would not be in a position to differentiate between Russian athletes who support the war and those who don’t. The last thing the IOC would want to see is a display such as a Z-symbol unveiled at a medal ceremony, or a Russian athlete draped in a Russian flag during a lap of honour in the Stade de France.

A blanket ban on all Russian and Belarus athletes might not be fair, it will deny some an opportunity that a lifetime’s training and dedication has been in pursuit of. No ban and things become more complicated because if Ukraine were to withdraw, then Zelenskiy might have a reasonable expectation that pro-Ukrainian states would follow suit. That is a lot of countries and a lot of athletes.

Back in 1936, Ireland did not send a team to the Berlin Games. Not out of protest at the Nazi regime, it was a result of a split in Irish athletics that divided participants into two camps. Space does not permit a full explanation but the net effect was that the best hammer thrower in the world at the time was denied

an opportunity to defend the title he won four years earlier in Los Angeles. Just as importantly, it denied him an opportunity win three gold medals in three successive Olympic games in the same event. That athlete was Dr. Pat O’Callaghan. Had O’Callaghan gone to Berlin and won the gold medal, that his form and distance at the time suggested he would, then he would have joined a very elite group of athletes who won three gold medals in successive games in the same event. Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps and Felix Savon are some members of this extremely exclusive club.

Sport is cruel and denying an athlete an opportunity to go to an Olympic Games is unspeakably cruel. To be an Olympian is the highest accolade that you can achieve in any sport. To medal at an Olympic games is the ultimate accolade in sport. At the Rio games in 2016, Irish swimmer Fiona Doyle competed in the 100m breaststroke. For 12 years she had sacrificed almost everything to realise her goal of making an Olympic final. She knew she wouldn’t medal but to reach a final would be reward enough for her years of sacrifice. She lost out by one place, she lost out to Russian swimmer Yulia Efimova, who had tested positive for banned substances on no less than five separate occasions and should have been serving a doping ban during the Games. Efimova appealed the ban, was allowed to compete, and made the Olympic final at Doyle’s expense. I told you sport could be cruel.

So denying any athlete an opportunity to compete in Paris is not one to be taken lightly. But if the IOC are to avoid possible contagion in the event of a Ukrainian boycott, then a simple and least worst decision is fairly straightforward. An outright ban on all Russian and Belarus athletes. Unfair? Possibly. Imperative? Absolutely.

Tipperary Football Across Five Decades

No good story ever starts with “I was sitting down having a glass of milk” and this one is no different. A few weeks ago, I was sitting down having a few pints with some good friends and then it happened. Somebody, who should have known better, asked the question. “Could you pick your best

ever Tipperary Football team?” It may sound like an astonishingly immature topic for grown men to be discussing but then again mature people do not discuss sport. Sport is the last refuge of the immature and as if to prove that point what followed was like a verse from the Christy Moore song, Joxer Goes to Stuttgart.

We all agreed on Declan

Browne straight away although as I always do I put in my spake for the great Brian Burke to be Tipp’s best player. I grew up playing against and marking Brian Burke and I’m still not the better of it. In recent years I have come to realise that, where Burke is concerned, I suffer from a form of Stockholm’s Syndrome.

As the evening went on and a couple of more pints flowed down the red lane, we slowly began to realise that picking Tipperary’s greatest ever football team was going to be no easy task. Our little group ranged in ages from men in their mid-sixties down to garsuns in their late thirties. The inevitable then happened and we started the futile exercise of comparing players who played in different eras. I’ll use the midfield battle as an example of the arguments/debates that were going on. Sean Kearney, Patsy Dawson, Gene McGrath, Derry Foley and the aforementioned Brian Burke were just some of the names thrown out for the No 8 & No 9 jerseys. Our cause wasn’t helped one iota when it was confirmed that all five had played at midfield in the Railway Cup for Munster.

Last orders were called

by BIG JOHN

and we still hadn’t agreed on a team. As we left the establishment, Declan Browne remained the only player who was guaranteed his spot on our team. As I walked back to my usual boarding house, a stray thought entered my head. Such was the quality of player we have produced over the years that if we had actually managed to pick an all-time Tipperary football team it would be up there with the best from any county. I then decided we could have had less arguments but also less fun by just picking a team of the decade from the decades we remembered (i.e. 70’s, 80’s 90’ and 00’s 10’s).

That’s what I am going to attempt today. Five different teams for five different decades (1970 to 2020). The only rule I applied when picking these teams was that you had to have played football for Tipperary for five years either in a decade or spanning decades (eg 1978 to 1984). That will eliminate some great players. For example, my especial hero, Colin O’Riordan doesn’t make the cut under the five year rule. Also, one of the best players I ever played with was Don Ryan of Templemore Eire Og. Don would make my team every day of the week

but he only played four years for Tipperary before work commitments took him elsewhere. Pat McGrath of Loughmore-Castleiney is another example. A fabulous footballer but because of his hurling commitments he also only played four years with the Tipperary footballers. There are countless other players

who fall into that category. With the five year rule applied and with apologies to players I left out who have given sterling service to Tipperary Football, my five teams from five decades are listed below. I am well aware that not everyone will agree with the teams but isn’t that half the craic.

1970 to 1980

1990 to 2000

2010 to 2020

2000 to 2010

CLONMEL GOLF CLUB

Men’s Notes

On Sunday 12th of March, Enda O’Dowd new member on the 14th hole hit a high draw with a rescue wood one bounce a small roll and boom into the hole for a Hole in One!! Well done Enda and many more of them. After 9 ½ weeks of play, Kevin ‘Jack’ Pyke floated to the top at just the right time to take the top spot of The Alan Maher Londis CYP with 34 Pts and Richie Whelan in second place with 27 Pts. The tussle for a top 6 Places was fiercely contested. The last man in on 6 Pts was Seamus Morrissey playing with Kevin ‘Jack’ Pyke and were this week’s weekly winners with a superb 33Pts. The CYP was definitely a huge success again this year in what’s considered by most as the off season for golf, the competition was really turned on with

over 130 individuals entered and 107 different players getting points on the board way beyond belief and expectation!

Hopefully at this stage you have all called in to see the Alan Maher’s newly refurbished state of the art forecourt and Londis convenience store on Cashel rd. It would be great if we could all show Alan Maher our appreciation for his generosity by popping in for your fuel and grabbing a coffee on your way to work at some stage. On behalf of Clonmel Golf Club I would again like to thank Alan Maher and all his team in Londis for their support and wish them the best in 2023.

Don’t Forget Paul Tobin Butchers 15 Hole Open Singles is running from Saturday 11th of march to Friday 17th of March. Then we kick off the 9 Hole Members only

“The Hub Restaurant”

CAHIR GOLF CLUB

Captains’ Drive-In 2023

The Summer season starts early! Sunday April 2nd is Captains’ Drive-In Day. Come out and support our Captains of 2023, John Hughes and Mary Lyons, Junior Captain Carthach Leahy and President Paul Adamson. Day commences with Reception at 11am followed by Shotgun start at 12 noon. A 4 Person Straight Scramble will be followed by finger food and entertainment.

Entry Sheet open in ProShop. Draw for playing partners on Saturday 1st April. Always an enjoyable and fun day, don’t miss out!

Ladies

Ladies OPEN Days 2023

Ladies Committee have dates booked for OPEN

Summer Series in tandem with the CYP final. 56 Players Made “The Cut” in the Alan Maher Londis CYP. 6 Points was “The CUT’ mark. Attached and Posted it the Lower Hall is Spreadsheet With List of Teams & Qualifiers. Rules.

1. 4 People per Team (Picked Randomly)

2. Sign in on Club V1 (Free of Charge) any time between Saturday 18th of March & Friday 24th of March. 3. Play at a time that suits you. No Requirement to play with others on your team. 4. After 12 holes return the scorecard as normal into ClubV1 signed and pop into the box in the hall.

5. One go only in the final (No Re-Entry) 6. Green Tees, Holes 1 To 12. (Winter Rules) See Terms and Conditions on Notice Board on the Day. 7. From the 4 Singles Stable-Ford

Points scores returned from each team. The Lowest Score card is Eliminated and won’t be used again. 8. The remaining 3 score cards are added up to give a total team score. 9. In the event of a tie. The Lowest score card of the remaining 3 cards will be used in a count back. (see example below)

TEAM A Player.1 22 Pts Player.2 21 Pts Player.3

18 Pts Player.4 17 Pts (Eliminated) Team A

Total 61 Pts TEAM F Player.1 22 Pts Player.2 20 Pts Player.3

19 Pts Player.4 12 Pts (Eliminated) Team F

Total 61 Pts Team F Wins as card No.3 Has

19 Pts. and Wins on a count back. As card No.3 on Team A has only 18 Pts. And so on. It’s important to bear in mind that every score counts so no matter how bad things are going keep plugging away as it may come down to

the very last shot on the very last hole!!!! Prizes. Vouchers For Alan Maher’s Londis for all the Weekly Winners. Voucher For Alan Maher’s Londis for Lead Qualifier. Kevin Pyke First Prize for all Four Players on Team. Second Prize for all Four Players on Team. Prize giving Saturday 25th of March at 5.15Pm

CLUB LOTTO

Draw took place on Saturday 11th March 2023 with a Jackpot of €4,000.

Number drawn: 05,06,13,21. No Jackpot winner. Two matched-three winners – Paddy Bardon & Tony McCarthy. Well done! Jackpot €4,200 on Saturday 18th March 2023

Tickets at €2 each and three for €5. Also available to purchase online, QR codes, Facebook. Vouchers available for

all kinds of gifts and presents. Quick Pick Lotto available shortly.

MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS 2023

Renewal of membership subscriptions is due on 1st April 2023. All invoices have been issued to members by email and Juniors by post. If you have not received an invoice or wish to have one printed, please contact Aine in the office on 052-6124050.

Early payment of fees and confirmation of renewal would be appreciated as we need to establish our membership numbers with Golf Ireland by 1st April. Green fee tickets available for payment by 1st April and payment is due by 30th April. For payment by standing order, please contact the office to agree a schedule of payment.

NEW MEMBERS 2023

14 months for the price

of 12 – join Clonmel Golf Club as a new member and you will receive 3 months free –membership covered up to 31st March 2024.

If you are looking to join the club, please contact the office for details of rates.

This offer is open to new members and past members who have not renewed their membership within the last 5 years. Golf Ireland fees not included.

Terms and conditions apply so for full details please contact Aine at the office on 0526124050 or download an application form from our website www. clonmelgolfclub.com.

WEBSITE Please visit: www.clonmelgolfclub. com and check out our new website which has been kindly sponsored by The Emigrants Rest/ The Hub/SportsTax. All weekly notes are included here.

LADIES NOTES:

The inclement weather last week gave the ladies a brief rest but hopefully both the poor weather and the enforced rest will be short lived. As a result, there was no Weekly Club Competition last week. Fixtures.

12 Hole on going Club Competition 18th March to 24th March

However, both the Easter Hamper and Spring League are ongoing until early April.

Unbelievable as it sounds, the paper lists for participants in all inter clubs’ competitions posted in the ladies’ locker rooms appears to be refusing ink! Hopefully this mystery will be solved next week when all eligible ladies will consider putting down their name to represent their club. Please Ladies…. your club needs you!

Days and look forward to welcoming Visitors from Clubs, near and far. OPEN Days are on Thursdays: 27th April, 25th May, 29th June, 20th July, 24th August, 14th September. Note on diary and details of each OPEN Day and Sponsors will be announced on the month.

Ladies Summer Series 2023

Ladies Captain Mary Lyons announced the Summer Series this week and welcomed the very generous Sponsorship of Bramleigh Lodge Nursing Home. The Series will involve 10 Qualifying Competitions twice a month, alternating Saturday/Sunday and Thursday. The minimum number of entrants for a valid Qualifying Competition

SLIEVENAMON GOLF CLUB

Just when Spring had popped its nose over the parapet, the weather Gods decided to have one more run at pulling the Greens from under us!

Slievenamon’s Members are engaging in serious layering at the moment, heading out fully kitted in rain proofs and thermal gear and, only to wilt into the Clubhouse 4 hours

suffering from heatstroke.

Luckily, Rachael and Heather are on hand to defrost or fan them down, as appropriate!

The things golfers will do in the name of sport!

Despite the climate challenges, we are still seeing some excellent golfing on the Course.

In the Gent’s Weekend Singles Competition on

is 15 players. Start Date is Thursday 13th April and Grand Final playoff on Sunday 17th September. Great prizes to be won. Best wishes to everyone for a very enjoyable Bramleigh Lodge Nursing Home Summer Series.

Ladies Results

Tuesday 7th March, the

Seniors Ladies played 14 Holes and the winning team was Imelda Fitzpatrick, Anne Walsh and Mag Tobin with 65pts. Well done Ladies.

Ladies Spring League Matchplay

Two weeks left to complete the Round Robin Matchplay very kindly sponsored by Bánór, The Skin’s Shepherd. Very enjoyable and competitive matches have been played and all focus now is on the Finals and

Prize Presentation on Saturday 1st April.

Mens

Our weekly 12 Hole Open Singles Stableford continued from Monday 27th February to Sunday 5th March 2023. The results were as follows:

Category 1: Jake Lindy (5) 25 pts

Category 2: Derek Davis (10) 28 pts (CB)

Category 3: Pat Slattery (21) 28 pts

Category 4: Stuart Ryan (23) 30 pts

Find the Golf Ball

The envelope drawn on Saturday 11th of March was Julie Connolly and her number was 25. It was not a winner but she still receives €20. The next draw will take place on Saturday 18th of March. Envelopes are available in the Clubhouse and in the Pro Shop. The jackpot is €640.

Death of a former Captain of Co Tipperary Golf & Country Club:

The late Pat Flynn RIP joined our club shortly after it opened 1993. Pat enjoyed playing in Dundrum for many years and became Captain in 2006. Everyone who had interaction with Pat Flynn had the same thing to say “He was a thorough Gentleman and a pleasure to deal with”. Pat wore the County Tipperary Blazer with great distinction and pride.

The turn out from the club for the Guard of Honour at his funeral was testimony to the high esteem in which Pat was held, how well thought of he was as a friend, member and former Captain of Co Tipperary Golf & Country Club.

& Cashel Rugby Club. At our monthly committee meeting Captain Darren Hayes proposed a Sincere Vote of Sympathy to his wife Carmel and their family on the sad passing of Pat.

Ard heis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

At the same Committee Meeting Captain Darren Hayes also proposed a vote of sympathy to committee member & former Captain Tony Reade on the death of his Mother, Maureen Reade. Ard heis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

Mens Golf: The winners of this weekend’s 18-hole Singles Stableford competition were; in 1st place Jimmy Heffernan playing off 22 with 45pts. In 2nd place John

Canny (7) with 44pts. Best Gross Andrew Burke (4) 38pts & in 3rd place Alan Gillespie

Ladies Golf:

Congratulations to our Captain Jacinta Coman on winning the Junior Alliance in Waterford last Monday 6th March.

Last Tuesday saw another great crowd for a scramble .The winning team was made up of Kay Crowe, Niamh Chadwick, Ailish Hayes and Maura Maher.

Next week’s Tuesday morning is singles. This week is the last week of the St. Patrick’s 9-hole competition, and we remind you to play off the mat on the first.

Down Syndrome Golf

Competition: The Ladies club is running a charity

competition in aid of Down Syndrome Tipperary. With all proceeds going to Down Syndrome Tipperary Branch “Meitheal 21 Centre” in Thurles. (The Meitheal 21 centre is for all of Tipperary’s activities for its members young & old – from development programmes to speech & language services, friendship groups and a place for all members to learn, grow & have fun).

Seniors Golf: The results of last week’s 15-hole Scramble; in 1st place P J Maher, Liam Ryan (Cashel) & Tom Shanahan 51.9 (B6), 2nd place Martin Quirke’ Jim Kinsella & Denis McCarthy 51.9, in 3rd place Tommy Moloney, Pat Ryan (K) & Seamus King 53.6.

3/4 and 5 March, Captain Terence O’Brien scored an incredible 48 to take home 1st place, with Richard Prendergast scoring a very creditable 45 to take 2nd and Michael Dempsey taking 3rd on 42. Denis Burke took Gross on 34. Meanwhile in our Ladies Sunday/Tuesday 12 Hole Stableford Competition

on 5 and 7n March, Paul Spillane took 1st on 28 with Teresa O’Brien, also on 28, just pipped on count back.

It would be great to think conditions are due to settle this week, but given that St Patrick’s Day is approaching, it seems we may just have to grin and bear it. Still, hope springs eternal!

Pat originally from of Clonaslee Co Laois, came to work in Kiely’s Bottling Plant in Tipperary and as an avid sports man he joined Clanwilliam Rugby Club and Tipperary Golf & Country Club.

Pat was also very involved with the community in Cashel being an active member of Chamber of Commerce, Tidy Towns

The winning team at the Table Quiz run by the Ladies Committee of County Tipperary Golf & Country Club at the Venue Dundrum Left to Right Aidan Ryan, Owen Graves, Lady Captain Jacinta Coman, John Graves & Padraig Cahill.

New arrivals for spring & summer with a fresh pop of colour.