Fethard-on-Sea boycott
The Fethard-on-Sea boycott was a controversy in 1957 involving Sean and Sheila Cloney, a married couple from the village of Fethard-on-Sea, County Wexford, Ireland. It resulted in a sectarian boycott, led by the local Catholic priest, of some members of the local Protestant community.
The Cloney family
Sean Cloney, a Catholic, came from Dungulf, a short distance to the north of Fethard-on-Sea, while Sheila, a Church of Ireland Protestant, came from Johns Hill in the village itself. They married at an Augustinian church in Hammersmith, London in 1949.They had three daughters: Mary, Eileen and Hazel, who was born after the controversy.
At the time, non-Catholic spouses of Catholics who wished to be married in the Catholic Church had to agree to bring their children up as Catholics as a result of the Ne Temere decree.
The boycott
Parish priest Fr. Stafford told Sheila Cloney she had to raise her children as Catholics. Sheila refused, leading to her leaving the town with her daughters. The parish priest organised a boycott of the local Protestant population which was endorsed by Bishop Michael Brown. Sheila Cloney went first to Northern Ireland, then Orkney. Eventually Sean traced her to Orkney, they were reconciled and returned to Fethard where their daughters were taught at home.Éamon de Valera condemned the boycott on 4 July 1957 and called for Mrs Cloney to respect her promise and return with her children to her husband.
Time magazine coined the term "fethardism" to mean a boycott along religious lines in an article on the events.
A 1999 film, A Love Divided, was based on the boycott, with some dramatic licence taken with some events.