By: Proinsias O'Baroid

Proinsias O'Baroid — Fri, 15 May 2009 02:19:09 +0000

I have enjoyed reading your piece on the O’Fogarty Harp, and yes its very true the amount of hidden history in Thurles and its surrounding areas almost hidden from tourism and in some cases the local population for whatever reasons.
It has always been a dream of mine to have the Black Castle off Thurles’ Parnell St roofed and in time brought back to some vision of its former glory and the whole area around it opened up and pedestrianised, what a musieum it would make and maybe help aleviate the pressure for space and suitability from St Marys church and Famine Musieum.
If during these changing times we cannot appreciate with forethought the benefits of forward thinking and the utilisation of dorment features of our once significant walled town, to attract with confidence tourists in greater numbers and have for them a realistic and convincing tourism schedual of sights (not forgetting that Thurles was the sight of the utter defeat of an Anglo Norman army led by Strongbow himself by King Rodericks son Connor with men of Leinster supported in numbers by men of Thomond led by Munster king Donal Mor O Brien) all thats available on that amazing historical achievment is a faded plaque on the side of a house in Loughtagalla.
I’m delighted to see initutive been taken and a genuine effort to begin Thurles’ re-establishment as a strong progressive town with alot to offer the tourist of history spanning millenia back to the earliest peoples to occupy this ancient and rich Island.

Comments on: Cornelius O’Fogarty’s Harp – A Visual Treat For Tourists In Thurles

By: Proinsias O'Baroid