Newfoundland folk to visit Fethard and Tipperary in 2020

The Ireland Newfoundland Connections group (based in south Tipperary and Waterford) are already planning their ‘2020 exchange visit’ of Newfoundlanders to Ireland in late August of next year.

On Friday, August 23, a ‘coach load’ of people from the South East of Ireland are flying to Newfoundland – some for the fifth time – to stay mainly with families. The following year, 2020, the Newfoundlanders come to Ireland, and so it goes every year, and this is where Fethard becomes involved in 2020.

The friendship group have contacted the Fethard Historical Society to see if Fethard would ‘host’ the Newfoundland group for ‘three nights B&B and one ‘getting to know you’ evening meal in August 2020. The same Newfoundland group will also spend three nights in Co. Waterford and three nights in county Wexford. 

The organising tour group, and Fethard Historical Society at local level, will look after all other arrangements and arrange daytime and evening programmes for the visitors. One evening - going by what happened other years - is a ‘concert/music session’ where local Irish and Newfoundlanders get together to trade music and stories.

The Fethard Historical Society, are willing to act as the ‘Fethard host group 2020 ‘ if sufficient offers of three free nights B&B are provisionally indicated before the Irish group fly out to stay with the Newfoundland families on August 23. 

Up to half the population of Newfoundland have Irish ancestry and the forbearers of these Irish Canadians nearly came exclusively from counties Waterford, Tipperary, Kilkenny and Wexford. They all left in the 1700s and early 1800s (before the Great Famine) to work in the fishing industry. In fact, the Irish word for Newfoundland is Talamh an Éisc, which literally means ‘the fishing grounds’. Many people from the Fethard area also travelled their for work and some eventually settled there where their existence is recorded on the local headstones. Some of the Fethard deaths recorded there include: 1861 (October 29) – John Trahy, Age 28. Native of Fethard, Co. Tipperary, Ireland. Funeral from residence of Michael Farrell. 

1864 (January 11) – John O'Donnell, Age 64. Native of Fethard, County Tipperary, Ireland. 50 years in Newfoundland. 1868 (January 7) – Mr. E St. John, Age 55. Native of Fethard, Co. Tipperary, Ireland. Came here 31 years ago.

Anyone who would wish to host a couple or a single person(s) in August 2020, can contact the Fethard Historical Society by phone: 087 9009722, or email: history@fethard.com 

We look forward to enough volunteers coming forward to ensure our ‘exiles’ will be welcomed home as they welcome the Irish to Newfoundland every second year.