Welcome to the Copper Post, the online newsletter that covers the communities of Dunhill, Fenor, Boatstrand and Annestown.

In this week's newsletter...

• SPORT

  • Dunhill GAA

  • Fenor GAA

  • Na Gaeil GAA

• ARTS, HERITAGE & CULTURE

  • Dunhill Tidy Towns & Heritage Keepers

  • Dunhill Players

• COMMUNITY & SUPPORT

  • Community Alert

• EDUCATION & LEARNING

  • Dunhill NS

  • Dunhill Multi-Education Centre

  • Tiny Tots Playschool

• NATURE & ENVIRONMENT

  • Anne Valley

  • Bioregional Weaving Lab

• LOCAL HISTORY

  • 1967: Jacqueline Kennedy Visit

• MISCELLANEOUS

  • Video Of The Week

  • Job Notices

  • Property

  • Death Notices

  • Weather

BEFORE WE GET STARTED

A Message To Local Community Groups

We are very lucky to have over 40 community groups helping and serving the DFBA area.

If any local group would like to submit articles, news, events, update, etc. send an email to [email protected] or send a message to 087-6398362 

P.s. Apologies to any groups missing from the list above.

SPORT

Dunhill GAA

Social Hurling

On the 1st of March our Social Hurlers, assisted by some fine Erins Own Hurlers took part in a Social Hurling Tournament in Tipperary in aid of meals on wheels. 

The Tournament consisted of 4 games of 20 mins with goals only. The games were self refereed with only incidental contact allowed. 

We won all our games as part of the Tournament and we also participated in a 13 aside mixed teams game with the West Tipp lads to finish up. 

It was a really great day out and everyone who participated felt it was something we should do again.  

If you are interested please contact Dermot Dunphy 086 27826604 

Football Boot Appeal

Dunhill GAA looking for donations of football boots, especially those with moulded or plastic studs in adult sizes (both male and female).

If you have a pair to spare, please send us message or contact 086-3193847.

Your support is greatly appreciated!

League Fixtures

30 Mar (Sun) at 1.30pm. Junior Football League Round 2. Dunhill vs Kilgobinet in Dunhill.

06 Apr (Sun) at 11.30am. Intermediate Hurling League Round 1. Dunhill vs Roanmore B in Dunhill.

13 Apr (Sun) at 11.45am. Intermediate Hurling League Round 2. Dunhill vs Ardmore in Ardmore.

19 Apr (Sat) at 4.00pm. Junior Football League Round 3. Dunhill vs Shamrocks in Shamrocks.

24 Apr (Thu) at 7.00pm. Junior Football League Round 4. Dunhill vs Old Parish in An tSean Phobal.

09 May (Fri) at 7.30pm. Intermediate Hurling League Round 3. Dunhill vs Butlerstown in Dunhill.

17 May (Sat) at 7.00pm. Intermediate Hurling League Round 4. Dunhill vs Sliabh gCua/St. Marys in Sliabh gCua/St. Marys.

24 May (Sat) at 7.00pm. Junior Football League Round 5. Dunhill vs Kilrossanty B in Dunhill.

Inter-County Representation

Congratulations to the following who have represented Dunhill GAA on Waterford Inter County Teams and we wish them all the best of luck in their respective competitions.

Senior Football - John Groves.

U-20 Football - Simon Burns.

Minor Football - Luke Higgins.

Under 16 Hurling - John Day.

Under 16 Football - Ned Moore

Under 15 Football - Zack Butler.

Last week, Dunhill goalkeeper Simon Burns, finished top scorer with an incredible five points in Waterford's defeat to Limerick in the Munster Under 20 Football Championship.

Jog & Jargon

Looking for a fun way to stay active and meet new people? The Dunhill GAA Healthy Club Subcommittee invites you to join Jog & Jargon – a weekly walk-to-run session for all fitness levels!

📅 When? Every Wednesday at 6:30 PM
📍 Where? Dunhill GAA Walking Track
👟 Led by: Hilary, Michelle, and Julie

• All levels welcome – Walk to Run!

• Pavilion Membership: €10 (Waived for paid-up Dunhill GAA members)

• Participation is at your own risk

For more details, contact Hilary at 086-0809678.

Dunhill Sports Centre

Easter Camp

Don't forget to book into the Brill Dunhill Easter Camp now by going to www.dunhillgaasc.ie 

We have a limited time discount available for booking early. Multiday and sibling discounts are included also.

Strength & Conditioning Training Classes

🏋️ When? Tuesdays & Thursdays, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
📍 Where? Dunhill GAA Centre
📞 Contact: Tommy Colfer at 087-9725247

Expert-led Strength & Conditioning (S&C) training to improve fitness, strength, and endurance. Suitable for all levels! 💪

Fenor GAA

In what wasn't one for the purists, Fenor footballers drew with Newtown in the opening game of the County League (Division 3) at windy William Flynn Park on Sunday.

Both teams struggled with the conditions and the new rules and it looked for a while like the first half would draw a blank.

It was fully 22 minutes in before David Cantwell opened Fenor's account. Iarla Hennessy added another off the outside of his boot 5 minutes later but Newtown broke for a goal to take the lead before half-time. Cian Rellis restored parity prior to the short whistle and a free from captain James Hayden edged us ahead after the change of ends. 

Now with the wind, Newtown equalised and then went in front, both from play, before James curled over a late leveller after a good move involving the equally influential Mikey Nicholls and Darragh Murphy.

Next weekend we take on Gaultier before attention turns to the hurling and a series of challenge and league matches.

Our first Hurling League game is against Ballydurn again, at home, on Sunday, 6 April.

Na Gaeil GAA

🧒👧 Who: Boys & Girls aged 4 to 6 years (born 2019, 2020, 2021).

💰 Cost: €30 per child (includes a jersey).

📅 When: Every Saturday at 9:30 AM starting April 5th.

📍 Where: Block 1 in Dunhill GAA (X91 N2YY). Block 2 will be in Fenor GAA later in the year.

⚽ Equipment: If you have a hurley and helmet bring them along. If you don’t, come along anyway, we’ll size each child for their gear. Helmet subsidy/discount scheme available.

📞 Contact: Thomas Raher – 087 639 8362

📝 Sign Up Here: https://forms.gle/7axZhRXNQTn6JYeL8

🧒👧 Who: Boys & Girls aged 18 months to 3 years (born 2022).

⚽ No Equipment Needed!

💰 Cost: €30 per child (includes a jersey).

📅 When: Every Saturday at 9:30 AM starting April 5th.

📍 Where: Dunhill Sports Centre (X91 N2YY).

📞 Contact: Pauline Casey – 086 863 3728

📝 Sign Up Here: https://forms.gle/7axZhRXNQTn6JYeL8

Come join the fun and introduce your little ones to sports in a friendly and active environment! 🎉

Outdoor hurling and football training resumes next week, Monday 31st March.

👦 Who? Under 6s (born 2019) to Under 11s (born 2014)
📍 Where? Dunhill & Fenor 3G Pitches

Mondays in Dunhill. Thursdays in Fenor.

New players and returning players always welcome!

📞 For more info, contact Na Gaeil secretary Michael O’Brien at 083-3344988.

ARTS, HERITAGE & CULTURE

Dunhill Tidy Towns & Heritage Keepers

Place Day Event

📅 Date: Sunday, 6th April 2025
⏰ Time: 1:30 PM – 6:00 PM
📍 Location: Dunhill Community Hall, Eircode X91 Y389
💰 Price: Free

Dunhill to Celebrate Its Heritage with Inaugural Place Day Event A day to remember, a place to celebrate! Dunhill will celebrate its rich heritage with the first-ever Place Day, set to be held on Sunday, 6th April 2025, from 1:30 to 6pm at Dunhill Community Hall, Eircode X91 Y389.

The local community will come together for this special event dedicated to honouring Dunhill’s rich history, vibrant culture and strong community spirit.   The afternoon will feature exhibits, displays, performances and information stands from over 25 local groups and organisations, inviting attendees to discover more about Dunhill’s past and present. From sporting achievements to environmental initiatives and historical insights, the event will showcase the diverse fabric of the community.

The ethos behind Dunhill Heritage Place Day is to foster a deeper connection between residents and the distinctive character, history, activities and achievements that define the area. The event will offer an opportunity to learn about Dunhill’s natural environment, architectural landmarks and cultural traditions.

"Our local heritage is an essential part of our identity and this event is an opportunity to celebrate what makes Dunhill such a special place. Heritage is more than just preserving old buildings; it’s about understanding the stories and traditions that shaped our community" said a spokesperson for Dunhill Heritage Keepers.

"We hope that by coming together, we can inspire a renewed interest in preserving and sharing our collective story for future generations." The idea for the Place Day grew from a heritage course run by the Burrenbeo Trust, which brought together local participants. The voluntary group has since worked, with support from a small fund provided by the Burrenbeo Trust, to create this special day for the community.

Heritage Keepers is a free programme for primary schools and community groups across Ireland. Through a series of online workshops participants investigate their local built, cultural and natural heritage and are then provided with funding and support to allow them to take positive action locally. 

These actions have included exhibitions, heritage trails, tree planting, podcast creation, booklets, wildlife ponds, oral history projects and ‘Place Celebration’ days. The programme opens in September every year for new participants.

Current groups involved  include tidy towns, heritage groups, men's shed, resident associations and sport groups to mention just some. 

Go to www.heritagekeepers.ie to find out more.

Tidy Village

The fence on Ballynageeragh bend has been erected. We are in the process of clearing the ditch on the bend in preparation for planting of shrubs.

As usual in Dunhill there were a lot of stones to be removed! The bend had also to be raked level in preparation for planting.

The photo is of some of the tired, weary but happy volunteers engaged in the work.

Dunhill Players

📅 Date: 27-29th March 2025
⏰ Time: 8:00 PM
📍 Location: Dunhill Community Hall, Eircode X91 Y389

The Dunhill Players continue a proud theatrical tradition with their latest staging of John B. Keane’s captivating ‘Many Young Men of Twenty’ in the Community Hall from March 27-29th.

The local drama group first performed the emigration/morality classic there in 1967. Having opened Dunhill Drama Week, the melancholy musical comedy was meant to run for a few days. But such was its popularity that the Players ended up touring it for over three months.

Belying the status of amateur dramatics, the production was expertly directed by the esteemed RTÉ/ITN news camera man Paddy Barron of Drumcondra, whose fondness for Dunhill came from his Waterford mother and the welcome he received here.

His founding inspiration and professionalism propelled the Players to unexpected heights. A 3-night stint at The Theatre Royal was famously followed by a private audience for former U.S. First Lady Jackie Kennedy. Attending a special performance in Dunhill Hall that summer, she was enchanted by the ensemble’s spell-binding acting, singing, and musicianship.

𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝗳 ’𝟲𝟳

The late Jim Harney — whose family (not least his wife and original cast member, Mary) remain loyal sponsors of the Players — was a great friend and kindred spirit of the inimitable John B. A fellow publican, Keane shone a semi-humorous light on the harshness of mid-20th century rural Ireland; a time and a place where the unemployment boat to England was for many the only option, and the first stone of shame was too easily thrown.

In its original July 1961 review of what became an instant smash, The Kerryman newspaper wrote that the legendary Listowel playwright had “revealed his genius” by the accurate drawing of the play's array of recognisable characters.

The plot, it added, “tilts at many of the evils of which men speak in pubs and other places where they foregather... and the world and his wife know the Irish publican as the shrewdest judge of character from Tarbert to Timbuctoo.”

At once hilarious, hard-hitting and deeply moving, witnessing this storytelling masterpiece on stage is a chance to leave social media aside, take a step back in time, and see how much has changed, and also reflect on what could possibly have stayed the same.

With the curtains going up at 8pm sharp, tickets are available in Harney's and from any of the cast (below), or at the door of the Halla Pobail next Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening.

𝐶𝑎𝑠𝑡: 𝐽𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛 𝑊ℎ𝑒𝑙𝑎𝑛, 𝐽𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛 𝑅𝑦𝑎𝑛, 𝐴𝑛𝑛𝑒 𝑀𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑒 𝑄𝑢𝑒𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦, 𝐶𝑖𝑎𝑟𝑎 𝐿𝑎𝑟𝑘𝑖𝑛 𝐵𝑢𝑟𝑛𝑠, 𝐷𝑎𝑣𝑖𝑑 𝑊𝑎𝑙𝑠ℎ, 𝑀𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑛 𝐻𝑎𝑟𝑛𝑒𝑦, 𝐿𝑜𝑢𝑖𝑠𝑒 𝑊𝑎𝑙𝑠ℎ, 𝐴𝑛𝑛 𝐵𝑎𝑟𝑟𝑦, 𝐶𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑐 𝐷𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑒𝑙𝑠, 𝐸𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑒 𝑆𝑤𝑖𝑓𝑡, 𝐷𝑎𝑣𝑖𝑑 𝑆𝑤𝑖𝑓𝑡, 𝐴𝑖𝑑𝑎𝑛 𝐺𝑟𝑖𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑛, 𝑇ℎ𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑠 𝐺𝑟𝑖𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑛, 𝐷𝑎𝑟𝑟𝑎𝑔ℎ 𝐺𝑟𝑖𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑛, 𝐾𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑎𝑛 𝑃𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟, 𝑆𝑜𝑝ℎ𝑖𝑒 𝑀𝑢𝑙𝑐𝑎ℎ𝑦, 𝐹𝑖𝑛𝑏𝑎𝑟 𝐵𝑢𝑐𝑘𝑙𝑒𝑦.

(Jamie O'Keeffe)

COMMUNITY & SUPPORT

Community Alert

DFBA Text Alert has been serving the Community for the past 15 years.

You are reminded that the annual subscription of €5 is due for payment.

Thank you to those who have already paid and to those who wish to pay online, please remember to give your name so that your account can be credited with the payment.

If you're new to the area, welcome. The more the merrier and the more effective!

BANK DETAILS:

• IBAN: IE13 AIBK 9341 1911 992052

• BIC: AIB KIE 2D

The continuation of Text Alert is dependent on your subscription , it's our community and welfare so please help us to keep it active. Thank You.

EDUCATION & LEARNING

Dunhill NS

Calling Former Dunhill NS Past Pupils

With the upcoming Heritage Day on Sunday 6th April, Dunhill NS and the Parents Council were asked to get involved showcase the school’s critical role in the community and our local history.

 While the school are working on some projects to be displayed on the day, the Parents Council are working together to gather some photos and stories about Dunhill NS from former pupils.

 If you, or anyone you know, would like to share something, please forward photos, memories, or stories to any member of the Parents Council, or alternatively to: [email protected] by 30th March.

 We would greatly appreciate anything that can be contributed. 

Dunhill Multi-Education Centre

We are thrilled to announce the Copper Coast Watercourses Project funded by the Local Authority Waters Programme. This Citizen Science Project is dedicated to Water Conservation, Preservation and Monitoring.

Water is a vital resource that we all depend on - its conservation more important than
ever. This project will enable Community Members to engage in important research
and engage in learning and skill-building activities connected to Water Monitoring and
Conservation.

Participants will learn about Citizen Science Research, learn and participate in Water
Monitoring in County Waterford, learn about challenges to Water Resources and how it
affects Biodiversity, and learn about everyday steps to conserve and improve Water Quality.

The Project will develop as a series of Monitoring events, each complemented by
learning sessions and talks with Experts in the field. Events will take place twice monthly
until the end of October 2025, with a schedule soon to be announced.

Participants will play a role in collecting Water Quality Monitoring data: learning how
to collect and record samples and learning about the research projects this data feeds
into.

Participants will learn new skills, learn best practices, about actions that can be taken to
protect and conserve Water Resources, and learn about Biodiversity and the Environment.
All this while engaging with other enthusiasts, members of the community and
experts.

Upon completion of the project, participants will be able to continue collecting and
inputting data onto the Monitoring portal, partake in other Citizen Science projects,
advocate for Water Conservation amongst their Communities, or even progress to
pursue a formal qualification.

We will be hosting an Information Event where you can hear from a panel of Experts:
learn about Water Conservation, learn about Citizen Science, and hear about this project

Join us

• 3rd of April at 9.30

• Dunhill Multi-Education Centre X91FVF9

• Phone 051 396 934 or email [email protected] for more

Tiny Tots Playschool

Tiny Tots Playschool Dunhill is now accepting enrollments for September 2025! 🌈✨

✅ ECCE & NCS schemes available
🕘 Hours: Monday to Friday, 9 AM – 12 PM
👧Full-time & part-time places available

📞 Contact Bernie at 089 4231867
📧 Email: [email protected]

A fully inclusive, play centered, community playschool. 🌟💛

NATURE & ENVIRONMENT

Anne Valley

The Hoopoe is a striking bird that is rarely seen in Ireland, but one was spotted in the Anne Valley last Sunday. These birds breed throughout much of southern Europe and migrate to Africa for the winter. With their pink bodies, bold black-and-white striped wings, and distinctive crests, they are easily recognizable and unlike any other bird.

(Photo and info provided by Dunhill Tidy Towns & Heritage Keepers)

Bioregional Weaving Lab

Located at Dunhill EcoPark, Bioregional Weaving Lab (BWL) is all about weaving people, projects and place together for thriving ecosystems and communities. Part of our work is to support new businesses or other kinds of interventions (which we refer to collectively as the ‘BWL portfolio’) that work together to create social, environmental and inspirational value in ways that make financial sense too. If you’d like to get to know us better we have several shorter and longer films you could watch - see this page on our website.

From January this year we are delighted to welcome Keeley O’Brien to her new job as ‘regenerative business developer’ at BWL. She’ll look after the BWL portfolio which means working with initiatives in this area of the SE such as new ways of farming, education offerings, nature corridors, older people and much more. Keeley brings with her not only a family now living in Dunhill village, but also a wealth of experience from farming, cheesemaking, agroforestry, food security and how dairy sustainability standards are working across Ireland.

Meet Keeley: “Hi all, I'm happy to be started in my new role, and enjoying getting settled into the beautiful Anne Valley. We are getting to know the welcoming community and all the area has to offer-last weekend we hiked in the Comeraghs and went for a dip at the beach, all in one day! There is so much happening and I'm excited to be able to support and nurture upcoming regenerative opportunities. Please be in touch if you'd like to discuss our work at BWL, or to get involved.” 

If you are doing something ‘regenerative’ for the region that you think might belong as part of the BWL portfolio please do get in touch with Keeley.

If you are doing something more widely around how to transform the Anne Valley and beyond, get in touch with Sarah. We’ll have a stand at Place Day on 6^th April in Dunhill Community Hall so perhaps we can get to know each other there?

LOCAL HISTORY

1967: Jacqueline Kennedy Visit

MISCELLANEOUS

Video Of The Week

Job Notices

Property

Death Notices

Weather