NEW ‘ON THE HOOK’ MAGAZINE
THE 35th edition of ‘ On the Hook’ magazine is out now, with the first copies delivered to Dillon’s Londis shop in Fethard village last week.
With some people not expecting it to be published at all this year due to the Covid-19 crisis, the magazine’s editor, Liam Ryan, said he has been overwhelmed by the reaction to this year’s edition.
He said that not publishing the magazine would have been the easy option and that this year’s 178-page offering was put together by phones, emails, Zoom, face timing and pen drives.
‘People came up to me and said it was the best edition they had ever seen,’ said Mr Ryan.
However, he feels that people simply had the time this year to sit down and read all the stories contained in the magazine.
He took the opportunity to thank all those who contributed stories and old photos to the Hook book.
Among this year’s contributors is Liam himself, who penned a fascinating story about the Wallis family. Their origins began at Sea-Lodge in Portersgate and the article follows their careers, which ultimately end in their commercial house in Arthurstown.
Barbara McArdle details the history of the St Louis Sisters, who departed Ramsgrange after 150 years. Paddy Murphy, who is now in his nineties, is a regular contributor to the magazine and Karin Morrow shares some of her childhood memories from holidaying with her family at Grange and Hookless. Colm Campbell and Jimmy Fitzgibbon provide some classic old photos too.
The achievements of sportsmen Cian Byrne and Dylan
Whelan, who were part of the Wexford Minor Hurling team that brought a Leinster title to Wexford, are noted, as well as James Barron who brought All-Ireland ploughing glory to the parish.
The explosion at St Kearns in Saltmills in October 1920, which caused the death of five young men, is given comprehensive coverage as the centenary of this tragic event looms on the horizon.
Words used by natives from the Wood village are also documented and Thomas and Pauline Miskella, who retired from running their shop at Portersgate, also feature.
In these difficult times when most of the businesses in Fethard are closed, the committee of the magazine generously waived the fees for their advertisements.
Edited by Liam Ryan, with Eileen Cloney-Kehoe, Danny Neville, Joe and Eileen Molly, Sineád Kidd-Neville, On The Hook ( Vol 4 No 5, June 2020) is on sale now at Dillons at a cost of €12.