Thurles Information

North Tipperary had the highest percentage increase of people joining the Unemployment Register nationally in the month of June.  An additional 489 people signed on, representing an increase of over 8% on the figures for the month of May. Fine Gael Deputy Noel Coonan TD has again called on the Government to immediately adopt Fine Gael policies in order to halt this growing problem.

Deputy Coonan stated:

“North Tipperary fared worse than any other county last month. We had the highest percentage increase in the number of people joining the dole than in any other area of Ireland. There were 6,024 people on the dole in May. By the end of June an additional 489 had joined this list. Approx 207 joined the dole in Nenagh, 177 in Thurles and 105 in Roscrea. People under the age of 25 are being particularly badly affected. Almost 1,000 people in this age group joined the dole over the last two years in North Tipperary. This represents a 202% increase. CSO figures also show that over the last two years, a whopping 4,051 people have joined the dole in North Tipperary. In the same period, 1,657 more people signed on in Thurles, 1,647 in Nenagh and 747 in Roscrea. A growing number of national and international organisations have criticised Fianna Fáil’s approach recently and with due reason”.

The recent criticisms referred too by Deputy Coonan include:

The IMF, which described Ireland as ‘the most overheated of all advanced economies’ and warned of the collapse in Irish exports, pointing the finger of blame firmly at  Brian Cowen;
The CSO’s national quarterly accounts, which revealed a staggering 12% slump in Gross National Product;
The OECD, which warned that GDP will have fallen by 14% by 2010;

Deputy Coonan further stated that the Government must now adopt Fine Gael’s policies to restore competitiveness and stimulate consumer demand.
Fine Gael is calling for reductions in spending to allow cuts in VAT and employers’ PRSI, the abolition of the Travel Tax, the creation of a National Recovery Bank to restore credit lines to small business and home-buyers, and a plan to reduce Government-imposed costs on small business.

July 4th, 2009 | Category: Employment, Politics |  Print This Post |  Email This Post | Leave a comment

Pictured here are five members of the Thurles Guild of the Irish Country Women’s Association who recently organised a night of  dancing and comedy for the now retired residents of  The Sue Ryder Complex in Holycross, Thurles Co.Tipperary.  Meet Thurles ICA comedians Julie Stapleton, Ann St John, Josie Brown, Josie O’Dwyer and Mary Carey.

Discover the joy of making new friends.

Founded in 1910 the ICA has stood the test of time and is the largest women’s organisation in Ireland.  Currently they have in excess of 15,000 members and a guild can be found in every town and village in the country. You may join from the age of 16 upwards and be assured that if you do, a warm welcome awaits you wherever you live in Ireland.

Find out about the Guild near you today and discover the wealth of activites available to you, from artistic, to cultural to educational. You can keep fit, learn more about fashion,  beauty, photography and new technology. You can travel as far as China on sponsored trips and this year some of the women are off to Finland to attend the Associated Country Women of the world’s Conference.

So if you are you looking for friendship and support, a chance to exchange ideas and share confidences in good times and bad with fellow members, then join the ICA.

July 3rd, 2009 | Category: Community News |  Print This Post |  Email This Post | Leave a comment

Nightclub HQ opens tonight, July 3rd, in Thurles.

Yes it’s true, the paint is dry and as I speak, the dust covers are being carefully removed from the plush comfortable seating in Nightclub HQ in Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

Renovated at a reported cost of €1 million euros, this now extensively revamped stone-fronted building, formally Dwan’s Brewery, situated on the left, at the entrance to Slievenamon Road, ( when leaving Liberty Square,) will open tonight at 9.30 pm.

Boasting the latest in sound and lighting technology, this premises contains no less than six theme bars all fitted with comfortable seating and just about everything else possible to ensure that clubbers get the maximum value for their nights entertainment.

Safety too has been a number one priority with designers of this state of the art establishment.

If clubbers want a place to chat or maybe enjoy a cigarette or indeed a mouth watering hot-dog, then The Outback is the place to go walk about.

If you fancy the atmosphere of an illegal 1930’s American ‘Speakeasy’, then grab a chair in Molly’s Bar.

If your passion is a loft party or discotheque with elaborate lighting systems that throb to the beat of the music, then its upstairs to HQ and the very heart of this establishment, where top Tipp FM DJ Aidan Mac will pump out your music, in your favourite genre, be it  Techno, House Music, Heavy Metal, Garage, Hip-Hop, Salsa, Dance Hall, or Soca.

Your favourite tipple is available at all six venues within the HQ complex and clubbers can travel freely between bars as the mood takes them.

Live bands will perform here weekly starting with Parchman Farm Blues Band, Ireland’s Premier blues band,  fresh from having  guested with Johnny Drummer in Lee’s Unleaded blues club in South Chicago.

HQ brings the city to Thurles.

July 3rd, 2009 | Category: Entertainment |  Print This Post |  Email This Post | Leave a comment

St. John the Baptist School Cashel and Dualla National School, both in Tipperary, are to receive Tesco Golden Vouchers.

St. John the Baptist Primary School and Dualla National School in Cashel Co.Tipperary, will both be the lucky recipients of a very special Tesco ‘Golden Voucher’. The prize which is worth a massive 5,000 Tesco vouchers, is designed for Schools & Clubs and its all thanks to Tesco shoppers Mary Laurence and Kathleen Maher. Both won this amazing prize for their nominated local schools simply by spending over €50 at Tesco, Cashel, Co. Tipperary this week.

The Tesco for Schools & Clubs scheme enables Irish schools and clubs to redeem vouchers from Tesco purchases for a variety of useful items including sports equipment – all to make it easier for schools and clubs in Ireland to get what they really desire.

Pictured here at the Tesco Store, Cashel, Co. Tipperary are the lucky winners Mary Laurence, Kathleen Maher, and Margo Breen, Tesco Manager, Cashel at the presentation of their Tesco Golden Voucher.

July 1st, 2009 | Category: Community News, Education |  Print This Post |  Email This Post | Leave a comment

The wait is over. The time is now. Prepare to experience a kind of nightlife Thurles has never seen before, the kind of nightlife Thurles deserves.

Dust off your weekends, rally your mates, check your pulse and open your mind.

Prepare for a very new type of night out.
Prepare for a new social order.
Prepare for a new principle.
Prepare for a new generation.
Prepare yourself.
Prepare for — HQ.

A contemporary and intuitive network of clubs and bars have come together, all under a single roof, blurring the line between what it means to go out and what it means to stay out.
Boasting no less than six unique theme bars including The Red Room, The Black Room, Molly’s Bar, The Brew Bar, The Outback and the HQ Nightclub itself beating at its very core, HQ will now provide the kind of variety and choice 20 somethings, 30 somethings and 40 somethings have long associated with the bright lights and big sounds of a city social life.

HQ brings the city to Thurles.

Come, see and be conquered.

June 29th, 2009 | Category: Community News, Entertainment, Music |  Print This Post |  Email This Post | Comments (9)

Cashel Community School, a County Tipperary school based at Dualla Road in Cashel is named among a list of 78 post-primary schools across the country to receive High-Speed Broadband as part of a new Government initiative. The 100 mpbs Post Primary Schools Project, will deliver high-speed broadband connectivity to second level schools across the country.

Green Party Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Eamon Ryan, speaking at the launch of this project, at the Digital Hub Learning Studio, stated:

“Today we are laying the foundations of Ireland’s new Knowledge Society. Providing our schools with high-speed wireless connectivity opens up a whole new world of learning for our children and our students will be connected to every corner of the globe. We are taking online learning out of the confines of the computer room. In classrooms and corridors, students and teachers will potentially be able to carry out interactive chemistry experiments and access demonstrations and exhibitions from all over the world. A class learning French in Dublin could talk in real time with a class in France. A leaving Cert Physics student will be able to take part in Ivy League lectures and experiments. With this level of connectivity, the opportunities for interaction and collaboration are unlimited. We must equip our students with the skills and creativity they need to thrive in the new digital world we are entering.  There is no surer way of preparing them than by bringing the Internet right into their place of learning and allowing them to experiment and interact online. Today’s announcement opens a door to them, to take part in Ireland’s digital future.”

Under the existing Schools Broadband Programme, primary and post-primary schools in Ireland can access a basic level of broadband connectivity. The 100 mpbs Post Primary Schools Project marks the next phase in the Government’s ambition to develop our schools as world-class centres of e-learning and to educate the next generation of knowledge workers and digital entrepreneurs.

Schools have been selected against various criteria including geographical location, and an adequate mix of schools to ensure broad social inclusion. The speeds available are similar to those that are being offered to high-end national and multinational companies that operate in Ireland. They allow for the quick upload and download of material, instant connection to websites, and the increased and varied use of online applications. This project is the result of co-operation between the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources and the Department of Education and Science, the Higher Education Authority, HEAnet and the National Centre for Technology in Education.

The Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources has begun a tender process for broadband service providers. It is expected that numerous service providers will be involved. The tender will be accessible at: www.e-tenders.gov.ie

June 26th, 2009 | Category: Education, Employment, Technology |  Print This Post |  Email This Post | Leave a comment

As people in Tipperary are by now aware, www.thurles.info is always on hand to help out in any emergency. For many months now we have waited for our Government Ministers at Cabinet to seek our help regarding this countries severe economic difficulties. But I suppose to be fair their time has been taken up with the Lisbon Treaty, Local and European Elections, election of local Town Mayors, not to mention those Green Party types in coalition etc,etc. We in Thurles are a forgiving race and fully understand their inactivity,dare I say slowness,  in contacting us regarding a solution to this country’s economic difficulties and excuse them fully on the grounds of severe time constraints.

This put aside, and to show there is absolutely no ill-feeling, I now dare to provide our over worked politicians with our simple solution to these economic problems, which when implemented, will immediately put Ireland and all EU states on a more sound/secure footing, for at least another ten years.

Now please follow carefully what future history books will refer too as the “Thurles Accord”.

The Thurles Accord:  (Better known as “A Plan To Wrestle The Irish Economy From The Tight Fists of Bankers, Property Speculators and Other Cute Hoers”.)

1. Immediately cancel the gift of seven billion euros of tax payers money to Anglo Irish Bank who will only, no doubt, squander same on unearned bonuses, as done in previous years.
2. There are about 1 million people employed, aged between 45 and 50 years of age, currently at work in this State. Pay each of them 7 million Euro of this money as severance pay, to take compulsory early retirement without pensions and medical cards for the over 70’s, with the following proviso. Upon receiving their seven million euros, each retired person is legally bound to comply with the following rules:-

• They MUST fully retire (No nixers or part-time occupations). Their departure from the work place will now create 1,000,000 new job openings and promotions. Unemployment problems will be wiped out over night.
• With this pay-off they MUST buy one house. This will generate further job creation within our State and solve all problems within the Building & Construction Industry.
• They MUST send their all their children to college/university, for further education. Drug and other related crime will now be halved. The market place will be over populated with Medical Consultants and Lawyers, who will in turn buy BMW’s and begin working for the HSE and the Court system, accepting more realistic fees in order to earn the right to work.
• They MUST buy at least one new car. One million cars will now go into immediate production. Current problems within the Irish Automobile sector and the European Car manufacturing industry will be solved over night.
• They MUST buy alcohol/tobacco to the value of €100 each week. Revenue generated will ensure the Government will now get their seven billion euros back through various duty/tax etc and life expectancy will be reduced bringing down the cost to the State of contributory old age pensions.
• TD’s  and Senators should (to be fair and show full respect due to those who have given their lives in the service of our country) be given first priority when implementing any such severance package.

Note: I herewith renounce all /any rights to claim any consultancy fee’s in respect of the adoption of this very simple solution by the Government , to our current problem.

Should the  Government find they still have a small shortfall and more finance is needed, simply request that all Ministers, TD’s and Senators immediately pay back all immorally claimed allowances and expenses obtained no doubt through error.

June 26th, 2009 | Category: Humour |  Print This Post |  Email This Post | Leave a comment

July 10th-12th 2009 will see the GAA, Cumann Lúthchleas Gael, celebrate its 125th Anniversary here in Thurles, Co.Tipperary in conjunction with the holding of  the Munster Senior Hurling Final.
Events are planned as follows:

Events: Friday July 10th.

7.00pm: Civic Reception: For Comhairle na Mumhan at Tipperary Institute  Thurles.
8.30pm: Historical Presentation :at the Tipperary Institute. (All members of the public are welcome to attend.)

Events: Saturday July 11th.

11.00 am: Under 12 Hurling Blitz: in Dr.Morris Park with teams from all Munster Counties.
11.00 am: Munster Long Puck Final: in Thurles Racecourse.
7.30 pm: Special GAA mass in Thurles Cathedral
8.30 pm: Munster final ‘Night at the Dogs’: in Thurles Greyhound Stadium (Note: Half price admission to patrons wearing their county GAA jersey.)
8.30 pm: Open air entertainment in Liberty Square:  This event will including the official launch of the new Tipperary GAA 12 Track CD featuring the winning GAA Supporter’s Song ‘The Mighty Blue and Gold’.
9.00 pm: Arrival of torch in Liberty Square, carried in symbolic relay.

Details of this relay are as follows:

12.00 noon: Leaving Cusacks GAA, Carron, and carried through clubs in Co.Clare.
3.00 pm: Hand over at Na Piarsaigh and carried through Limerick City by Limerick GAA Clubs.
6.00 pm: Hand over to Tipperary at Finnegan’s and carried by Tipperary clubs to Thurles town.

Events: Sunday July 12th.

10.00 am: Guinness Gig-Rig: in Liberty Square.
12.30 pm: Entertainment by Artane Boys Band: in Liberty Square.

While in Semple Stadium:

2.00 pm: Munster Minor Hurling Final
2.30 pm: (Half Time): Cumann Na mBunscoil Primary Games.
3.15 pm: Arrival of Torch from Michael Cusack’s GAA Club in Co. Clare. Torch will be carried by Tipperary hurling legend Jimmy Doyle into the Stadium and presented to the Chairman of Munster Council, Jimmy O’Gorman, who in turn will light torches carried by the chairman of each Munster County.
4.00 pm: Munster Senior Hurling Final
4.40 pm: (Half Time): Presentation of Munster Senior Hurling final captains.
5.30 pm: Presentation of cup to Munster Senior Hurling Champions.

So come along folks and celebrate this very historical Munster Final week-end in Thurles Town where it all started 125 years ago, this year.

June 24th, 2009 | Category: Sport, Tourism |  Print This Post |  Email This Post | Leave a comment

The now long awaited multi-storey car park has finally been approved for Clonmel, Co.Tipperary.

An Bord Pleanala has upheld planning permission granted by Clonmel Borough Council for the development of the former Clonmel Arms Hotel site.

The plans, by BORC Partnership, had been appealed by both An Taisce and the Departmentof the Environment due to the impact on the Main Guard heritage site.

The permission, which  includes mixed development, has been welcomed by the majority of  Clonmel’s local population.

The Council had granted planning permission to the BORC Partnership to build a 500-space car park over nine levels, a 2770 sq m shopping centre and an 80-bedroom hotel on the one-acre site in the town centre, currently occupied by the old Clonmel Arms Hotel.

The hotel was a listed Georgian building and the proposed development would have involved its partial demolition. Councillors in Clonmel, Co Tipperary had already removed this Georgian building from the Record of Protected Structures (RPS) in order to allow the development of this  multi-storey car park, hotel and shopping centre, which was refused by An Bord Pleanála.  An Bord Pleanála had upheld appeals by the Department of the Environment and An Taisce against the then controversial €40 million development, which had been approved by Clonmel Borough Council.

An Bord Pleanála had originally objected to the development on the grounds of excessive scale and height of the development in the historic town centre and that there were no exceptional circumstances that would permit the demolition of a protected structure. In its earlier ruling the board had stated that the development would have an adverse impact on a nearby national monument, the restored 17th century customs house, the Main Guard, and was contrary to council’s own development plan for the town.

Then, Bord Pleanála inspector Graham Carlisle had stated:

“The monolithic nature and scale of the proposed development would be out of keeping with its surroundings and would significantly detract from the historic centre of Clonmel in general, and the setting of a national monument,”

The town had been devastated by An Bord Pleanála’s decision, which had been prompted by the unnecessary interference by the Department of the Environment and An Taisce.

It is understood that some changes to the original plans have now been agreed with this new approval.

June 24th, 2009 | Category: Community News, Employment |  Print This Post |  Email This Post | Leave a comment