By: Queen Elizabeth II – Welcome Home | Thurles Information

Queen Elizabeth II – Welcome Home | Thurles Information — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 15:58:15 +0000

[...] but when Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II comes to Ireland, the most obvious place to take her is to her ancestral home, here in Thurles, [...]

By: George

George — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 22:35:51 +0000

Hi Proinsias,
I agree totally with you that Thurles remains totally hidden in relation to its historical importance. One hopes now with Mary Hanafin in charge of Tourism, things will change for the better.
She will certainly get support in this “neck of the woods”. Thank you for your comments.

By: Proinsias Barrett

Proinsias Barrett — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 21:31:06 +0000

Very impressive research, a fact I have often delivered in conversations about 17th century Ireland, now I can guide the sceptics here, well done.
This and other major historical facts pertaining to Thurles, like the major Norman defeat and reversal of Strongbow by the forces of Ard Ri Roderick and Donal Mor O’Brien in 1174, should really be played up a lot more in the Thurles tourism stakes.
But it is a great pity that the remains of the Black Castle in Thurles are left to the crows (and the occasional interested glance of a ‘developer’ or two, who would gladly see the structure pulled down.) The castle, an early Anglo-Norman tower-house/keep structure presumably built over existing native/Viking structures, as Irish historical Annals reveal another great battle fought at Thurles circa 930AD between the Northern and Southern Clan Ely, allied with the Viking inhabitants of Thurles and Caithream Ceallachain Caisil of Clan Eogan, newly elected King of Munster, allied with the Clan Eoganacht. The Annals tell us that during the battle the chief of the Clan Ely was captured and submitted to Ceallachan and that all the Viking inhabitants of Thurles were slain. This is an important reference to Thurles being a significant fortified pre-Norman town, and is a lost revenue potential for the town of Thurles in the form of historical and cultural tourism.
Surely the remains of the Black Castle could be respectfully re-enforced and roofed (maybe as a Fas project), with the future intent of a full or partial restoration. The opportunity to construct a cut stone faced structure opposite the gate tower at the bridge, thus recreating the twin towers which once existed at the Suir river entrance, was lost some years back to a neo-modern type structure which is out of character in its surroundings. Thurles has great historical tourism potential if only a concerted effort could be made to bring its physical history to life.

Comments on: Thurles – Ancestral Home of Prince Charles and Lady Diana

By: Queen Elizabeth II – Welcome Home | Thurles Information

By: George

By: Proinsias Barrett