Life in the slow lane?
The first draft of the proposed speed limit bylaws for the village has just been published by the local authority at a time when villagers are concerned with both the speed and noise created by evening traffic in Mullinahone.

Our parish is affected in two areas by the new proposed bylaws which are the responsibility of the local authority.

The people of Poulacapple will be pleased to hear that there is provision in the new bylaws for speed restriction to 60kph in the area of Poulacapple NS on the main road. This restriction will operate only during certain times.

The second area for change is the village where there are quite a number of proposed amendments. The Carrick Road has a two stage speed limit proposed. The 50kph sign will be just past Pouldamhran, with a new 60kph zone extending to just past Blackthorn Walk. The old 50kph zone on the Rocks Road remains.

The Drangan Road and Fethard Street is to get a two tier speed limit. The old 50 kph is to remain and a new 60kph zone is to extend to the turn past Guiry’s. The 60kph zone is needed due to exits from Glendara and other developments.

The Callan Road is also due a two tier speed zone. the 50kph zone will end just after the Grotto and the new 60kph zone will end at Fr McGrath’s. The Modeshill Road remains as it is.

Proposals regarding the Ballydonnell / Urlingford Road are likely to meet with opposition. A very small change is proposed here, with the present 50kph sign going out 30m/40m to just past Killaghy gate and the tennis courts. People walking out to St Michaels Cemetery, and many do, are not protected by even a footpath. A large volume of traffic parks and turns at the layby entrance to the graveyard. This traffic has also to make its way back onto the road with traffic speeding by.

For these and other reasons, the 50kph sign must be brought out past the graveyard. Between the end of the graveyard and the end of the next straight at Keating’s House there are 13 houses with 12 separate entrances. Twelve of these houses are on the left hand side of the road as one approaches the village.

Prior to this new draft plan of byelaws there was concern among householders on this road concerning the speed of traffic. This is now certain to intensify as the draft plans become public.

Football Flashback – It was a different time and place. Indeed it was almost a different world. So much has changed in the decades that have sped by since 1945, when World War II and rationing were drawing to a close.

Could one believe that it was not possible to buy or sell tea, sugar, butter and oil and rubber products were in very short supply? Tyres and tubes for bicycles were scarce while wet and dry batteries powered the odd radio in a townsland.

In Mullinahone of 1945 Fr O’Brien was parish priest and Fr Maloney was his curate. That year Mullinahone’s senior football team beat Ardfinnan to win the South Tipp senior football title and qualified for the county final.

The South final was played in Clonmel and the county final in Fethard against the army team in Templemore 10th Battalion. According to local reports there were ten intercounty players on the army team, as it was just after the war these men had come to Templemore from all over Munster to help gather in the harvest.

The finals were played towards the end of the year. Mullinahone had won their first South Tipp senior title since 1929. The evergreen Mikey Sullivan was still on the goal. While a dispute had caused the parish to have two football teams for a number of years, it had been lately resolved and the factions had united.

Mick Nolan and Bill Brien (Briarsfield) among others looked after the team, which was trained by Tom Walsh of The Islands.

The panel on county final day numbered 18 players and three subs. A photograph survives and it seems the three subs were Mikey Connors, Chris Cody and John McGuire. During the final Chris Cody replaced Paddy Direen, who was injured.

The 1945 Mullinahone fifteen was selected from Paddy Direen, Mikey Ryan (Auld), Walty Scott, Paddy Quirke, Mikey Sullivan, Larry Lonergan, Mick Cahill, Eddie Meara, Mick Quirke, Neddy (Bay) Scott, Tommy Freeman, Frank Bradshaw, John Ryan and Jerry Connell.

Chiropodist – The chiropodist will be available in the community centre Mullinahone on Monday from 10am onwards.

Wedding – Married recently were Gerard O’Gorman, Ballylanigan and Gretta Guiney, Dublin.

Lotto – There was no jackpot winner in the local lotto draw. The winning numbers were: 24, 25, 26 and 27. The match three winner, who won e150 was Maureen Croke, Modeshill.
The next draw will be held on July 25. The jackpot could be as high as e2,650.

Fixtures – A lengthy fixture list has been released for the underage hurling teams. The following fixtures cover until the end of the month: July 21 under-14 v Killenaule; July 23 under-12 v St Patrick’s; July 28 under-14 v Fethard; July 30 under-12 v Killenaule; August 1 under-16 v Clonmel Óg.

The under-12 side had a good win over Cahir on Wednesday last. A feature of the win was the number of players who put over points.
good win – Two outings and two wins is the story of the season so far of the junior ‘B’ footballers.

The team began the campaign with a win over Marlfield. This was followed by win number two, which came mid-week in Carrick-on-Suir’s Davin Park.
The opposition were the newly reformed Clerihan. They gave the locals an early scare by scoring a goal, but a brace of goals midway through the first half saw Mullinahone lead by 2-3 to 1-0 at the break.

The locals built on their lead in the second half and stayed in control despite a late Clerihan rally.

Team – Brian Egan, John Murphy, Sean O’Meara, Mikey Egan, Shane O’Brien, Jackie Bolger, Richie Neary, Alan Cronin, Mark O’Brien, Joe Treacy, Kevin O’Meara, Ian Gahan, Donal Cody, Thomas McNamara, Sean Foxe.

Big Game – Mullinahone’s minor footballers have a very important game in Cloneen tomorrow (Thursday) at 7.30pm. This is a semi-final clash against Fethard.
Earlier in the season when these two teams clashed in the league section, Mullinahone scored a last minute goal to draw the game.

In the interim Mullinahone have been having a tough campaign in the minor hurling ‘A’ championship. Last week they went down heavily to championship favourites Swan, but they remain hopeful of a good result on Thursday night.

Football victories over Fethard have been rare over the years so we appeal to our followers to come along and support the team. A win would be extremely welcome and recall memories of a great senior football win over the same opposition in the 2001 championship.