A Not So Brief History
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When i first was asked to put together an article on the History of the club, i was somewhat apprehensive as i wanted to make sure i didn't forget anything!
However together with the main stalwarts of the club, Jerry Cremin and Jimmy Flynn.
We have tried to capture as much as possible from the beginning of our club that was once Called The Penguin's because we were so Far South.
Road Bowling was once prevalent all over co Waterford.
There Are Stories of bowling being handed down by Grandfathers, or of finding long lost bowls in places like Cappaquinn in the 1900s,
Westown in the 1950s & Tramore Promenade in the 1960s.
Just as in the official road bowling area's of Fenor, Clashmore & Dunmore, People still like their particular area of Waterford to be remembered, and the attached stories not lost forever.
It Gives them a sense of place & Pride when bowlers are discussing their scores.
Two Documents Provide evidence of Road Bowling in less re-known areas of Co Waterford.
The 1st is a photocopied page of a Portlaw petty court session in 1856, documenting how Phillip Meara of Kilmeaden & John Dywer of Whelans Bridge were charged with "Bowl playing on a public road, an offence which cost them both a fine of 3 Shillings & 6 Pence or 3 Days of Hard Labour.
Many Thanks to Historian Tony Hennessy For unearthing that Gem.
Finton Lane author of "Long Bullets" also writes that Micheal Cusack, President of Gaa, in June 1887 congratulated The Gaels of Dungarvan for organizing weekly bowl scores.
These Examples reveal that bowling was strong in Waterford in the earlier times and that we are not the first, or hopefully the Last to Play Road Bowling in the Deise.
Reviving of Bowling in Fenor
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1975 was the year when road bowling was revived in Fenor Village.
A Bantry Man named Jerry Cremin with his family moved to the area.
He brought with him all the enthusiasm of a west Cork rebel and heroic stories of his senior playing brother Justin, who Bowled against the like of Liam O'Keeffe and & Mick Barry, were Quickly lapped up.
He quickly enlisted the services of a young,
Jimmy Flynn & Joseph Farrell and set about instilling the merits & teaching the regiments of Bowling.
The lads by their own accounts had never seen a bowl before, but quickly took to the sport with gusto and over Time, More family & friends joined such as the Mahonys, Robinson's, Cheastys, Powers and Hutchisons and the Sullivan's and Skehans, Each have added members to our informal social club and have kept it Rolling along every Sunday and Wednesday through the years.
Many outsider bowlers, like the afore mentioned Justin Cremin or Baltimore's Connie Bohane stopped by with friends too, as they passed through for work or pleasure to throw a bowl or two.
1st Charity Fundraiser
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1995 saw the first of the team events and the sport being used to raise money in a fundraising Capacity.
It was called the Anne valley Festival and involved the 4 villages of Annestown, Boatstrand, Dunhill & Fenor working together.
It was also the predecessor to our Bowling around the Bog and it ran for 3 years till 1998.
A lot of the same names that were taking trophies are still doing so today 2016.
This event and other events showed the community's could do more together and many local projects were spawned from the DFBA committees of this time.
In 2002/2003 Tramores Mick Richardson was brought out to fenor by another tramore man Peter Power and the Ken Sauvage, a Mountsion Man, moved to the area joined.
Their involvement at this time along with the ever present Jerry Cremin and Jimmy Flynn, Kept the Fire Burning Long with Jerry's Move to Rope in the Current youngsters of the Village David Casey, Jonathan Weldon and Ricky Hutchison just to name a few to make up the numbers when the sunshine bowlers were nowhere to be found on a Cold wet Day.
Along with the kids from the early 90s like,
Ken Hutchinson and Liam Power they are mostly all still making up the core of the current club today with the afore mentioned Jerry, Jimmy and Ken Sauvage.
Each Youngster went Through an introduction process starting out as lookout for traffic and Running after the odd bowl or two before finally getting the call up when teams numbers were odd.
Start Of Our Social Club Official
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2010 was the year Fenor officially started out as a club, Liam Power made contact with Brendan Hayes of Bol Chumann Na hEireann and went about putting together a members list and details.
We were also helping to run events too.
These events help raise our club profile and Andy Battel From Dungarvan, Aiden Healy and Along With Tramores Ed Londergan and James Walsh and Cork Kevin O Donahue and Gene Hourihan.
Also the Arrival of Tommy Rowe and Terry Carroll from Waterford City added to the Ranks and help the club moving forward.
We Raised money for the Fenor play park and other Charities Have also Benefited from our open Days, such as the orders of Malta and the Fenor Lourdes Fund, Nadines Cancer Thrust and Fenor Gaa.
Formation of our Neighboring Club
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In 2012 club member Kevin o Donahue left with the full support of the Fenor Club, to start his own club in killea, Just outside Dunmore East.
We Now have healthy Local Competition right on our Door Step and killea have gone from strength to strength in their own right to become worthy foes in our local Rivalry.
Joining East Cork-Waterford Championships
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2013 was the 1st year ourselfs and Killea put forward representatives in the Novice D and C and Novice B Grades in the East Cork-Waterford.
Also Fenors Wendy Cullinane and Killeas,
Joanne Carroll competed in the Junior Ladies Grade.
Up to that point Clashmore had been Flying the Waterford Flag Solo for a Long Time, But we have now joined them in competition with Cobh, Conna and Ballincurrig; with more players making Final Spots each Year.
An Eastern Title still alludes us to Date.
Thurles-Sarfields John Enright Shield
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In 2015 we set the team of Wendy Cullinane and Jonathan Weldon and Gene Hourihan to compete with Clubs from around the other provenience's as well the Thurles Sarfields Gaa Club Who entered a couple of teams.
After a tight Score A great final shot from Fenors Wendy Cullinane Won the Enright Shield For Fenor.
In 2016 we sent 2/3 of the Trio the had won the Trophy the previous year with the addition of Jimmy Flynn once again after a close score fenor just beat the other club to win the Enright Shield to make it 2 in a Row.
Club Visitors Through the years
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We have come across some great characters Through the years weather its been arranged visits by tourist or just simple passers by we have meet a Load of new friends and some time even new Club Members.
Throw in two television companies who came to our Club.
One From a Travel Show Called ' The Road Less Traveled ' for the History Channel.
We also Had the Great Privilege of having our club featured in and advert for Jameson Whiskey Advert which ended up having Club President Jerry Cremin and Jimmy Flynn show case their Bowling skills aswel as a cameo from Liam Power and Ed Londergan enjoying a glass of Jameson all in all being a Bowler in Fenor Has its upsides.
The following information was written by Liam Power and derived from our All Ireland Program on Sept 10/11 2016 and additional content was supplied and added by Jonathon Weldon.