News

1st JANUARY 2002: The new year introduces the new Euro currency. Most people seem to have made up their mind that while there is six more weeks when the old can be used, a quick adjustment is best.

6th JANUARY: It may be 2002 but the football championship for 2001 still goes on and Emly is involved. Today Emly beat Upperchurch in the county semi-final of the junior football competition at Cashel. It was a thrilling match, in doubt up to the very end but the Emly team held on for victory with the score 2-9 to 2-7. They now play Borrisoleigh in the county final on Jan 20th. There was great sadness in the parish this evening as news filtered through that the body of local woman Helen Alymer had been found on waste ground in Tipperary town. Helen aged 51, a native of Ballyvistea, had been living in Tipperary for a few years. There was relief when, despite the tragedy of her death, a postmortem examination revealed that Helen had died of natural causes. Her funeral Mass took place in St. Michael's Church, Tipperary and burial was in Emly cemetery. She is bereaved by her brothers and sister.

Our photo shows the new bottle bank being erected in Emly

.

20th JANUARY: The above heading on 'The Nationalist' newspaper captures the excitement of Emly's first junior football County Championship victory since 1968. Emly had a relatively easy victory over Borrisoleigh(4-5 to 0-4). The team this year had shown a great commitment and this was shown in the skill and effort of all the team especially in the superb display in this final. The team were given a hero's welcome on their return to Emly with the county trophy.

Front Row(LtoR) Pat Sheehy (mentor), Alan O'Brien, Tony Harnett, Ger. Dawson, David Hennessy, Stephen Bourke, David Byrnes(Capt.), Richard Byrnes, Donal Condon, Sean Hennessy, Denis Heelan, Adrian Hennessy, Paul Creamer. Back Row(L to R) Eddie Hanley, Shane McManus, John Leahy, Michael Ryan, John O'Meara, Michael McEniry, Thomas White, James Ryan, Karl Bourke, Michael O'Donnell, Michael Bourke, John Purcell, Donncha Breen, Roger English, J. P Walsh (supporter).

22nd JANUARY: There was great shock locally at the sudden death of Jim Lavery, Tulla, while hunting with the Scarteen Hounds. Jim a native of Co. Tyrone, had been living in Emly for the past 10 years. His funeral took place in Durrow, Co. Laois and burial in Co. Louth. He is bereaved by his daughter Anna. The death has also taken place in England of Thomas Dawson, formerly of Emly. As a member of a great footballing family he played with the local team in his youth. He is survived by his wife, sons, brothers and sister.

2nd FEBRUARY 2002: Shirley Hartigan and Fiona Lonergan celebrated their 21st birthdays in a joint celebration at the Golden Thatch. Shirley is the daughter of Tim and Kate Hartigan. Fiona is daughter of Ailbe and Noreen Lonergan.

9th FEBRUARY: A meeting was held this evening to set up a girl's football club. There was great interest in the project. It was agreed that so many girls were playing football at the moment in the locality that a special club catering for girls would be successful.

13th FEBRUARY: The death took place in Cullen of Ailbe Dawson a native of Emly. He had been living for a short number of years in Cullen. This is the second member of the Dawson family to die in less than a month. Ailbe was a brother of Tom who died in January. His funeral and burial took place in Emly.

16th FEBRUARY: Widespread sympathy has been expressed to the mother, brothers and sisters of Catherine Laffy nee Brennan who died suddenly in Adelaide, Australia where she was living. Catherine aged 48, was daughter of Bridget Brennan, Gurteen, Emly. Some members of her family travelled to Australia for the funeral where they were joined by her brother Tom who travelled from Tasmania. Catherine is survived in Australia by her husband Pat, her daughters, Siobhan and Bridget and her son Patrick. A special Mass was offered in Emly on the day of her funeral in Adelaide.

21st. FEBRUARY: A parish development programme has started in Emly. For 5 Thursday evenings a group of parishioners will take part in a process of Parish Development and Renewal. The aim of this programme is to reflect on parish life and ourselves as parishioners and to examine the possibility of sharing responsibility for the running of the parish.

2nd MARCH: Fundraisng for the Thomas Sullivan fund is still in progress. The latest event was a Charity shave. Four locals, John Leahy, Pat White, Mark and Damien Murphy all volunteered to have their hair shaved. Young Tommy Sullivan will be going to New York for treatment within the next few weeks. Emly G.A.A club held a victory dinner dance in the Golden Thatch. County medals were presented to the victorious Emly team by Bobby Ryan, former Tipperary All-Ireland star. A special presentation was made to Pat Buckley, Chancellorsland who was a member of the Tipperary minor hurling team which won the Munster championship in 2001.

4th MARCH: There was great sadness locally at the death of Paul Bourke, at his home in Galtee View, Emly. Paul, son of Lilly and brother of Marguerite, was a pupil in St. Anne's Residential Home, Roscrea.

10th MARCH: Tipperary Senior Hurlers opened their National League campaign against Limerick in Semple Stadium, Thurles. It was not a successful beginning and after an exciting match in harsh weather conditions Tipperary suffered a 4 point defeat.

Well friends, as you can see we are, at long last back, in business. Many of you had been making enquiries and wondering what had happened. I hope that we can now keep this site updated whenever news comes onstream.

17th MARCH: HAPPY St. PATRICK'S DAY TO ALL.

18th MARCH: Congratulations to Richard Daly formerly of Bartoose, Emly who was named as 'Person of the Year' in Athy, Co. Kildare where he has been living for many years. Richard was presented with the award by the Athy Chamber of Commerce in recognition of his great work for the community.

The funeral took place today in the neighbouring parish of Kilteely, Co. Limerick of Jerry Ryan of Cromhill. Jerry was well known in Emly. He is bereaved by his wife Patricia (nee O'Meara, Emly), his daughter and sons.

20th MARCH: Congratulations to Pakie Cleary who today is celebrating his 90th birthday. Pakie, a native of Bartoose is at present a patient in the Deerpark Nursing Home Shronell. Some of his friends from Emly are visiting him this evening and celebrating with him as best he would like it, with music and song.

21st MARCH: The Parish Renewal Programme in Emly was completed tonight. Over 60 parishioners took part in all or portion of the programme. At the conclusion, 13 parishioners volunteered to form a Core Group in the parish. This group will take responsibility with the priests, for the running of the parish. At the end of this last gathering, Fr. Rochford thanked Fr. Pat Burns and Mrs Helena Delaney from the Diocesan Co-ordinating Group, for their work in the parish of Emly over the past 5 weeks. He also expressed his hope that this can be the beginning of an exciting journey for priests and people in our parish.

24th MARCH: It was with regret that we heard of the death last night in London, of John Ryan, known to everybody as 'Sancho'. John had been ill for the past two years. He made his last visit to Emly for the Failte Week in August 2000.

Like many men and women of the time, John left Emly in the 1940s to work in England. He worked for many years with Kodak film company. He was secretary of the British Country Music Assoc. This musical interest brought him on many visits to America where he became friendly with many well-known singers and performers.

John never lost his interest in Emly. For some years he had lost contact but over the past 12 years he visited constantly or was regularly on the phone to his friends. He had a particular interest and delight in the work of the Tidy Town Committee and was a great supporter of their efforts. He was also an active supporter of the 'Failte Weeks' which he made a point of attending.

We offer our sincerest sympathy to his wife and family.

TIPPERARY-CENTRAL.COM has a website I would recommend to all Tipperary people at home and abroad. Emly folk may be particularly interested in an Emly Chat Forum which has been set up on this site. I notice that some have already found it. You will find a link to the Emly Chat Forum at the top of the homepage of this Emly Parish site.

EASTER: The parish of Emly has been celebrating the the Sacred days of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter night with good attendances at all the ceremonies.

We would like to wish all our friends throughout the world a very happy Easter.