Back in the old days, when a friendly Co. Councillor, to whom you had slipped the ‘brown envelope’, was putting your case forward to get planning permission, you were advised to phrase your site notice of intention, in Irish; thus assuring that the vast majority of possible objectors would not become aware of your planning intentions.
I am reminded of this on viewing the notice posted (See above) by An Post indicating their move from Liberty Square to Thurles Shopping Centre, reopening as and from next Monday morning.
The S.O.S (“Save Our Square”) posters and placards previously bandied about, have failed miserably, and in the first place should surely have read S.O.T (“Save Our Town”).
While this relocation of the Post Office from its current Liberty Square premises to the new unit in Thurles Shopping Centre has caused “a huge amount of stress, anger, disappointment and sadness” to Liberty Square business owners; (that’s according to the S.O.S committee); customers of An Post will surely welcome the warmth and shelter afforded by the Thurles Shopping Centre’s long corridors; a protection never available on freezing, wind and rain swept, Liberty Square.
What greatly surprised me however, is the failure of this same S.O.S Committee to object to the loss and relocation of:-
(A) Heaton’s Department Store; En Paris; Dempsey’s drapery, Griffins, Joannes, Elvery’s etc. the list is long and getting longer.
(B) No protest marches organised on Liberty Square to protest over car parking charges.
(C) No objections were raised during the time period allowed to appeal against Tipperary County Council’s decision in the granting of planning permission on the former Erin Food’s Site; latter which once and for all will move our town centre, to an area which presently has no car parking charges.
(D) No protest marches being organised over the delays to revamp Liberty Square, first mooted in the early 1980’s. (It should be noted that thousands of Euro are being spent currently to correct sunken brick paving in Liberty Square. Latter, which should never have been installed in the first place. Is this why Templemore-Thurles Municipal District Councillors namely; Jim Ryan (Thurles Non-Party), Sean Ryan (Fianna Fáil), Michael Smith (Fianna Fáil & Cathaoirleach-Thurles), Noel J. Coonan (Fine Gael), and Peter Ryan (Upperchurch /Thurles Fine Gael) supported a 10% increase in local property tax?)
(E) No protest marches organised to demand an opening to the new car park on South Liberty Square.
(F) No protest marches organised to obtain the replacement of embarrassing Thurles Town’s road entry signs.
(G) No protest marches regarding the shameful, polluted state of the River Suir, in the centre of the town.
(H) No protest marches regarding the failure to provide a much needed Thurles ring road.
May we take this opportunity to wish all staff and line management at Thurles Post Office, every good wish for the future in their new chosen premises.
You are so right George. The so called SOS committee was nothing but an election gimmick by our Councillors and hopeful Councillors. Once the election was over so was the SOS campaign. Our Councillors have been a disgrace in the area of promoting and looking after Thurles. We have not heard a word from any of them since. I have written to the Chamber asking that they ensure that the Garda Divisional Headquarters remain in Thurles and not Ennis, without a reply to date. The Chamber have also fallen asleep. We need to save the Town not only the Square.
Couldn’t agree more Pat. Time also for Tipp FM radio and local press to call a spade, ‘A SPADE‘ instead of promoting their ‘Calling’ and other nonsense. Did you hear Micheál Anglim on Tipp FM the other morning, http://tippfm.com/news/politics/lama-call-increase-county-councillors-salary/. He claimed councillors were effectively “working 24/7 for a salary of €16,000 plus untaxed expenses of €6.000”. Surely the vast majority of councillors are double jobbing, as school teachers, farmers, postmen, accountants and self employed individuals, and when did they start working at night? None of them can answer a phone.
SOS is an international Morse code signal to denote that there was some form of danger or trouble in an area, or with a vessel. Re above – An Post is a state owned body, Heaton’s Dempsey’s etc are privately owned.
As a non political person who was part of the SOS group, I object to being referred to as a gimmick. My gimmickry has helped the people of this town in many ways for many years, it’s not all about money, charges, although I have raised the river pollution at council level. I have also raised the walkability, or lack of, of the streets, and requested that remedial works be carried out, as it is obvious that any upgrading will be a long time coming. When we did take part in protest marches, i.e. C.S.E.T. and St. Mary’s Hospital, we were badly supported by the townspeople, pubs and shops were open for business, and none of the business people took part. So George, politics aside, it looks like we’re wrong if we do get involved, and also wrong if we don’t. Ursula Paine
I don’t know what to say.
Ursula: I first became familiar with Morse code when I was aged seven, having (I think) read my first “Biggles” book. The first message sent following its official launch in 1844, was interestingly “What hath God wrought!”
Nowhere in correspondence have you personally been referred to as “A Gimmick”. My understanding of the use of the word, as indeed everyone I have had a chance to checked it out with, agree and confirm that some would-be councillors used the issue to generate support in their local electioneering bumph. For many such opportunists, it was first on their list of ‘promises’.
I totally agree with you that attempts to get any upgrading done at Council level is and in your your own words “will be a long time coming”. Some, not all, powerless local councillors, once elected, continue to drag personal party politics into council meetings, to the detriment of such progress.
It does not matter whether An Post was a private business establishment or a public trading entity, supported by the taxpayer. At the end of the day it must make a profit if it is to remain in existence within rural Ireland. You will be aware of their current trading problems.
You will also be aware of the inability of those who push themselves in a position of responsibility regarding the future of Thurles. Few of them have learned to play chess, recognising and identifying problem on the road ahead. Many in fact see their positions of responsibility as an opportunity to fill their own pockets.
S.O.S could have been “Save Our Shops”, taking into account the other businesses in other streets. Does it really matter that the centre of Thurles is moving 500 metres away?
Businesses must try to attract lost customers; lost mainly through the implementation of parking charges, which elected Councillors and Thurles Chamber of Commerce have fully accepted as being O.K., no protesting required here. After all Councillors must be paid a minimum salary of €22,000 PA for 30 minutes on a Monday morning on Tipp FM talking rubbish and claiming credit for filling a pothole.
You must also recognise that some the actions used by the S.O.S committee were “below the belt”, and could have placed the jobs of some 127 full-time and part-time workers in Thurles Shopping Centre at risk.
You no doubt listened to comments by Tommy Barrett on http://tippfm.com/news/business/liberty-square-post-office-close-tomorrow/.
When did liberty Square ever provide a public toilet, other than Hayes Hotel? Why do people have to walk from Mocklers to Thurles Shopping Centre, when ‘Local Link buses’ stop at Thurles Shopping Centre?
Apparently it does matter that Thurles town centre is moving. Item C. on your original post George. Heaton’s in Omagh closed last year in spite of access to a large free car park. This was part of a nationwide reduction in the number of retail outlets. I have one question, that is to do with the whole concept of joined up thinking in this country. It does not feature in any government department i.e. H.S.E. Social Welfare, An Post (could they not have issued driving licences?). Why when we dig one hole in a street, can we not put conduits in for all services, instead of digging over and over, and turning level streets into hills to be climbed? Also please see below some of the issues raised at January’s council by myself and Jennifer Manning CNM2. CHOA.
Inclusion of dementia friendly elements such as appropriate seating,
raised pedestrian crossings in the design for Liberty Square Enhancement
Scheme to make it more user friendly for all people. Refer to “Building
for Everyone – a Universal Design Approach”.
Undertake a walkability study of the town of Thurles.
The need for ease of access to public toilets.
A meeting will be held with a view to extending the services to the towns
of Templemore and Cashel.
The establishment of “The Memory Cafe” in December 2018.
Ursula.
When I used the word ‘Gimmick’ you will see that I was referring to our Councillors and would be Councillors. I most certainly did not refer to you or the other activists who tried their best to retain the Post Office in Liberty Square. Our Councillors have ‘gone to ground’ on the isssue following the election.
Perhaps greater clarity would assist with future comments Pat.
Ursula,
Firstly, your efforts on behalf of dementia sufferers are to be lauded.
Secondly, Item C makes the point that with two supermarkets side by side and the Business and Innovation Centre, together with Thurles Inner Relief road, automatically will bring the town centre to that area. I welcome this attempt to bring back new life to Thurles. But your notions of a Town centre in Liberty Square went out the window on the very day Thurles Shopping centre were granted planning permission.
Previous attempts to introduce a second supermarket in the past, on the Erin Foods site failed, but I suspect the promise of an Inner Relief road was to good an opportunity to pass over on this occasion.
Thirdly, Heatons in Omagh closed because Sports Direct, who already owned 50% of Heatons bought the other 50% share holding. It had nothing to do with car parking charges or the freedom thereof, and I remain puzzled as to why you raised this issue.
Finally, An Post will never issue Driving licences for many reasons. The main reason being that you can now get your licence, in most cases, direct online, https://www.ndls.ie/ using your Public Services Card (PSC) http://www.welfare.ie/en/pages/public-services-card_holder.aspx or a verified MyGovID account https://www.mygovid.ie/ since 2018.
Trust I have covered all of the issues you raised. Somewhat surprised, however, that other leading members of the S.O.S. committee failed to comment.
George it was you who mentioned Heaton’s. I must point out that I was never described as ‘having notions’ about anything. Liberty Square was the centre of town throughout my life – my notions would tell me it still is, geographically according to google maps.
My point re driving licences was a paltry attempt to suggest some alternative means of revenue for An Post, something obviously needed.
But yes thank you, my current issues have been covered.
The word “Notions” used in a phrase is quality English vocabulary. It means having a conception of or belief about something. I’m sorry if you have taken offence. Regarding Google Maps; simply type into your search engine ‘Town centre Thurles’. While we were asleep Google confined and trapped us all.