Tipperary Club Focus – Fethard

In the latest edition of our Club Focus feature, We visit South Tipperary and Fethard GAA Club.

Club Officers:

• Chairman- Tom Anglim

• Secretary- Ann Fleming

email: secretary.fethard.tipperary@gaa.ie

• Treasurer- Stephen Fitzgearld
• P.R.O- Andy O’Donovan

Club Social Media details:

• Twitter:  @fethardgaaclub
• Facebook:  Fethard.GAA

 History of Club  

The Fethard Gaa Club was formed in 1887 its founder member was Dick Cummins a great Gael who was honoured as County Chairman Tipperary in 1900-1905 and also became the first Chairman of Munster Gaelic Athletic Association in 1901 a great honour for the Friary Town with other Clubs in the parish Coolmoyne (1887-1965),Killusty (1915-1960),St Augustines(Fethard/Kilsheelan) (1970-1985), Kilnockin Emmetts (1942-1943), making up the present day Fethard Gaa Club (Fiodh Ard CLCG).Fethard has stood out since inception as the outstanding Football Club in Tipperary having Amassed 21 County Titles 15 Titles up to 1978 having won 10 Titles from 1887 to 1928, with 2 in the 80s 1984 & 1988 ,3 in the 90s 1991,1993, & 1997 winning our last County Title in 2001 twenty years ago with our previous gap 21 Years 1957-1978, the Club is striving to get back in winnings ways with great talent at under age presently coming through with close guidance from the coaches, selectors and volunteers working tireless promoting the game at root level, Over the years Fethard have supplied quite a number of players to the County who wore the Jersey with pride since 1980s during this era our Club had outstanding players from 1984 Michael O Riordan Capt, with 3 Titles (1978.84,88), Denis Burke (1984), Tommy Sheehan 6 Titles (1978.84.88,91,93,97,2001) Rev Aby Kennedy RIP2019 won 2 (1984,88), Michael Buddy Fitzgerald 6 (1978,84,88,91 Capt ,93,97,2001) Joe Keane RIP 2013 won 4 Titles (1978,84,88,91),Brian Burke 5 (1984,88 Capt,93,2001),Willie Morrissey 5 (1988,91,93,97,Capt,2001), Willie O Meara 5 (1988,91 Capt,93,97,2001).Shay Ryan 2(1988,93), Eoin Cummins 2 (1988, 91), Miceal Spillane 4(1991,93,97,2001), Paul Fitzgerald 2(1997,2001)Damien Byrne 2(1997,2001),Glen Burke 1(2001),Cian Maher 1(2001),Aiden Fitzgerald 1 (2001).Brian Coen 1(2001) Thomas Anglim 1(2001)Michael Quinlan3 (1993,97,2001),Chris Coen 1 (2001), John Paul Looby 1 (2001) from above Paul Fitzgerald & Brian Burke served over 10 years each playing Senior Football for the County and both played for Munster , In 2020 Bloody Sunday Committee recognised those who Played in Croke Park on 21 Nov 1920 we had three players on first fifteen that day Ned Shea Captain, Frank Scout Butler in Goal and Gus McCarthy at Corner Forward with a Plaque Unveiling in Fethard Gaa Park that was renamed in 1982, Fethard Club has won 29 South Senior Football Titles(1914-2005), U21A Football 8 County Titles(1966,67,68,87,88,2000,01,02) since inception 1961 with 15 South Titles(1966-2002) and in Minor Football we hold 4 County Titles(1957,85,89,99) since inception 1932 with 12 South Titles (1932-1999) ,Junior Football 5 County Titles(1921,26,32,56.99) with 12 South (1913-2008) Fethard also has quite a few South Hurling Titles in all grades from Senior to Minor with the most recent was Intermediate South Titles 6 (1982,89,92,2002,06,08) with no adult underage title since 2007.

In 2013 Fethard lost its Senior Football status for the first time in its History regraded to Intermediate for the next 3 years we strove to regain the status and in 2016 having won our first South Intermediate Title beating Fr Sheehys 0-16 to 0-9 we had already won the County Final the previous week in a great game in Cashel Fethard 1-11 Golden/Kilfeacle 2-7 with Cian Maher leading the way as Captain on the day also Christopher Sheehan and Brian Healy bringing the Club back to Senior , after this success we were regraded again in 2018 the Club has remained there since our first Football team our top Hurling grade is Junior for 2021

Juvenile Club:

Over the years Fethard has had many great players which our youth aspire to, some of which we remember in tournaments held by the Fethard, the Liam McCarthy Cup and the Danagher Cup are the two most sought-after local tournament Juvenile titles at Underage within the Division.

Fethard have a great selection of talented players coming through.  Starting at U6 and continuing right up to minor.

In May 2019 Fethard were able to celebrate Victory in Under 12A Football, winning both South Championship and County Championship.

Fethard Gaa AstroTurf:

Benefits to Club and Community

• Extended Training seasons for all age groups
• Community group soccer sessions
• Safe &Secure setting for young children to play together
• Extra capacity for multiple group Training
• Touch Training
• Facilitate: Tipp Ladies Football opening Session

Support & Sponsors

Main Sponsors – Coolmore & Clonmel Oil

Community and local Business Support – Strong Support and Lotto Drive

One Vision:

Senior Club, Ladies Football, Camogie & Juvenile Clubs united with one goal to build our facilities and strengthen our sense of community.

Club Stalward – Jimmy O’Shea

Born in Quartercross , Killusty in 1932 was the fourth Child of a Family of six 3 Girls Kathy, Nora, Mary and 3 Boys Nicky, Paddy and Jimmy, started his School days in Killusty in 1937 on finishing when work called he started serving his time with Johnny Ward where he resided for a few years and remained working there up until the Mid Eighties , going out on his own down in Henehans Yard where he is finished up in 2019,

His continued contribution to Fethard Gaa in his 60 years, so far, will never be surpassed by his Loyalty, Commitment, Dedication, and Willingness to be the best, from his playing days on the fields of play having given 23 years from 1950 to 1974 with the Adult Club winning two County Senior Football Medals 1954 & 1957, 4 South Senior Football Medals 1954,1955, 1957, 1969, he was Captain of the Fethard Team in 1958 and was on the losing South Finalist of 1956,1959,1963,1965,1968, with only once losing in a County Final in 1974, he was on the 1951 Minor Football South Champions , probably his greatest Honour was when as Captain he led his own beloved Village of Killusty to South & County Junior Football Honours in 1956 also adding to his collection a Tipperary Mans Cup Medal in 1959 with quite a few Tournament and 7 A Sides during that time , he wore the Tipperary Jersey at Senior in the National league of 1954, In 2007 he received the Sean na Gael Award for his services to the Gaa, the Club honoured him for his Service to Fethard in 2019 with a Presentation ,

The most admirable part of his career started in the early 60s when the Club won 3 South and County U21F Titles in the sixties with Jimmy as Trainer , Manager Selector from then until 2001 to all football teams , he would be the first man in the Field for Training all Football Teams on a Tuesday and a Friday without fail & the last man out ,winning 7 County Senior Football Titles 1978,1984,1988,1991,1993,1997,2001, on 4 losing sides 1982,1983,1986,1992, adding to this County Senior Football League wins in 2001,2003,2004, & South Clonmel Oil League 2001, during 1999 Munster started a Club League with 16 Teams Fethard reaching the final only losing out to great rivals Clonmel Commercials in the Final , also JAF South & County Titles in 1999, County J F B Title in 1998, County U21F Titles in 1966,1967,1968,1988, and the County

Minor A Football 1985 & 1989 with quite a number of South Titles and Finals defeats over his 45 years of great service to all football teams in the club he also gave a hand to the County U21Football as Selector 1983,84,& 85, Off the field he took charge off the Clubs Finance as Treasurer from 1966 to 1980 was a member of the Club Committee for many years culminating as Chairman of the Club 2008-2010 during his time was also a very valuable Committee Member of the 1984 Fethard Gaa Book backroom with many other Roles he was rightly known as Mr Fethard Gaa , what a span of service to his beloved “BLUES” from THE FRIARY TOWN”,

Our ‘Mr Fethard GAA’ still continues to support our Club at Senior level and Juvenile Level.  You will always see Jimmy at the matches and any presentations organized by the Club.