Looking back over April 2022 in Tipperary - We lost some wonderful people

April 7, 2022

Our first issue in April weighed heavily with very sad news of deaths recorded of young and old.
West Tipperary was reeling with news of the tragic death of a youngman in a road accident. David Hayes, in his late 20s, died in an accident at Greenane, Tipperary Town, on Saturday morning, April 2.

Earlier that same day there was another tragedy when a 51-year-old woman died after becoming ill while taking part in a ‘Climb with Charlie’ charity hike in the Galtee Mountains. Cora O’Grady from Luí na Greine, Mitchelstown passed while taking part in the hike of Galtymore with her two children, aged 11 and 8.

Also on Saturday, April 2 there was a sense of profound sadness in Clonmel at the passing of 106-year-old John “Jack” Walsh, a popular and well-known man in the community.
One of the oldest people in the country, John died at home at Ardanoir, Mountain Road, Clonmel, surrounded by his family. John had reached the remarkable age of 106 helped greatly by his love of the fresh air and walking and cycling.

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An estimated 20 women and children fleeing the Russian invasion in Ukraine found refuge in Fethard’s Presentation Convent building with more than 55 refugees set to arrive there over the following weeks, we reported in early April.
The first arrivals to the newly modified convent building were a party of four women and two children, relatives of a couple who have been working and living locally for years.
The group, which included a nine-year-old and a four-year-old, travelled from Ukraine to Poland and then by air to Ireland.

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A Mayoral Reception was accorded to national and local officers of the ICA by Mayor of Clonmel, Cllr Michael Murphy, in Clonmel Town Hall.

At the reception, the councillors each spoke about the ICA. The Irish Countrywomen’s Association brings together both rural and urban women and their communities in fellowship and through co-operative effort.

South Tipperary ICA Federation were hosting the 2022 national spring conference at Talbot Hotel, which also housed a wonderful exhibition by the federation, a unique visual collection of memorabilia and crafts from its foundation in 1941.
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Looking back over February 2022 in Tipperary - Young girls and women felt under threat

April 14, 2022

In April Tipperary Council Council was seeking the help of its elected representatives to source more properties in the county to turn into temporary emergency accommodation for Ukrainians fleeing the war. The number of refugees arriving in Ireland was expected to swell to 75,000 by the end of May.

In a separate related story, Eamon Lacey, informed readers that five people, an adult and four children, had escaped the horror of living in war torn Ukraine thanks to an outpouring of generosity among Clonmel people.
Mila Stelmakh,Ukrainian lady who, despite having lived in Ireland for 16 years and with a very good command of the English language, broke down with emotion as she struggled to find words to adequately express her feelings of gratitude to so many who had come to her aid.
“They treated me like I was a member of their family. I will never forget what so many people have done to help me,” said a tearful Mila.
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A huge pile of “raw meat” was dumped illegally in rural Tipperary in April to the dismay of local residents.
The meat was disposed of at Longstone, outside Cullen beside the old Junior’s Pub and in close proximity to a number of residences.
The gardaí had been notified and an investigation was underway. The residents of the townland of Longstone were shocked to see the sight of the dumped meat, which occurred overnight on April 8.
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A number of families were living in emergency accommodation, including at a Clonmel hotel because they were homeless, Tipperary County Council confirmed.
The council said the families were availing of emergency accommodation at the Talbot Hotel because they are unable to source private rented accommodation with the aid of the HAP.

A total of 41 homeless people were availing of emergency accommodation across county Tipperary, wrote Aileen Hahesy.
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Eoin Kelleher reported that week that a Cashel husband and wife had died within weeks of each other.
Donald and Mary Wallace, both aged in their 90s, died on Sunday, April 3 and Thursday, March 10 respectively, at their home in Cashel. They were 63 years married.


Donald Wallace had started Cashel Motor Works along with his late brother Leslie in 1956.
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April 21, 2022

The 25th anniversary of the establishment of Fennessy’s Hotel in Gladstone Street, Clonmel was celebrated in the Town Hall in mid April when District Mayor Michael Murphy accorded a Mayoral Reception for the popular and very well-known proprietors, Richie and Esther Fennessy.
“A boutique hotel in the heart of our historic town, this beautiful Georgian building was recently restored and refurbished with elegant decor throughout,” stated Cllr Murphy.
“Richie and Esther are wonderful custodians of this 19th century building, which was once home to the Mayor of Clonmel in 1843, John Hackett.”

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Planning was granted inApril 2022 for the construction of houses in Tipperary.
Remcoll Capitol Ltd applied for planning for the construction of 11 two storey two-bedroom terraced houses arranged in three blocks.
The development address is at An Duiche, Scalaheen, Tipperary Town.

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The launch of The Life and Times of Archbishop Patrick Everard by his descendant Tom Everard, Templetuohy, took place on April 11, in the Fethard Horse Country Experience.
Mary Hanrahan, Chairperson, Fethard Historical Society, welcomed the large attendance at the launch, the first public function in over two years.

Fr Liam Everard, brother of Tom, and currently Parish Priest in Fethard, launched the book.
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The operators of a teenage disco in Cahir publicly challenged young boys to desist from inappropriate behaviour towards young girls while attending such events, was the lead front page story that week.

Rev Discos Cahir, who organise discos for teenagers in the area, issued a statement when the behaviour of young men was brought to their attention following a disco held on April 11.
The disco organisers were informed that young lads attending the disco were going around “touching girls’ bums and smacking them” during the event.

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April 28, 2022

A Tipperary Town woman waiting for her second kidney transplant appealed to the public in April to help transform the lives of people like her by signing up to carry organ donor cards.
Alison McCarthy-Fogarty from Fr Matthew Street, who has lived for nearly a decade on dialysis since the failure of her first kidney transplant in 2014, issued the appeal during Organ Donor Awareness Week.
The former pharmacy technician was back on the organ transplant waiting list following a long road to recovery after her first kidney transplant.
Alison said the opportunity to get this life changing and saving operation again would mean everything to her.

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Last April, a councillor highlighted an issue in the Dundrum area where deer had caused as many as four accidents in the space of a few weeks amidst calls for signage to be erected on the roads.
Cllr Roger Kennedy, speaking at a meeting of Tipperary County Council, said: “There have been four accidents with deer in the last few weeks. “One car was a total write-off. Another car was seriously damaged and two others had minor damage.

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Gardaí admitted that they had “hit a brick wall” trying to trace the family of a 73-year-old man who died in county Mayo over a year ago, and who had lived in Clonmel for a time as a teenager.
The body of James Walsh of Lenasillagh, Glenisland, Castlebar was discovered at the side of the road near Castlebar on February 12, 2021.
Garda Hanly told an inquest into his death at Castlebar Courthouse that Mr Walsh had been a student at St Joseph’s Industrial School in Ferryhouse, Clonmel from the age of 10 to 16, but they couldn’t uncover any other relevant information about him.

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Eight men co-accused of taking part in an assault in Upperchurch village on June 27 last year appeared before Thurles District Court. All defendants were charged with violent disorder contrary to Section 15 of the Criminal Justice Public Order Act.
Three of the men from the Cashel area were directed to stay away from Upperchurch.
Five of the men, from the Upperchurch area, were directed to stay out of Cashel.