Community News | Thurles Information

Marriage Of Helen And Eamonn

Mr Eamonn and Mrs Helen McLoughney relax in bright, warm sunshine following their wedding.

The wedding took place yesterday of Miss Helen Hanley, daughter of Mrs Betty and Mr Michael Hanley, Aglish, Borrisokane, Co. Tipperary, to Mr Eamonn McLoughney, son of Mrs Mary B and Mr Sean McLoughney, Borrisokane, Co Tipperary.

The wedding ceremony took place in the local parish church of St Michael, Aglish, and was presided over by Rev. Fr. Paddy Cleary, ably assisted by local priests Rev. Fr. T Hannon and Rev. Fr. T O’Halloran.

The bride arrived to the ceremony in a magnificent Landau carriage, drawn by four beautiful white horses and was escorted down the aisle by her father Michael.

Helen looking stunning in a white, brushed silk, halter-neck designer afternoon gown, delicately pleated and subtly embroidered and decorated with hand stitched beading. Equally beautiful were the bridesmaids, Claire and Theresa, both sisters of the bride who wore beautiful apple-red shaded backless, full-length, evening gowns, adding greatly to the splendour of the occasion.

The groom Eamonn and his groomsmen, Tom Julian and Pat McLoughney, all looked dashing in their black evening suits elegantly highlighted by white wing collared shirts and matching silk cravats.

The couple declared their love for each other in front of a very large gathering of family and close friends, while music and song for the ceremony was performed by renowned vocalist Derlene Molumby accompanied by pianist Ollie Henessey, latter fresh from his musical direction of this years RTE production of The Rose of Tralee Festival.

Following the ceremony, the new Mr and Mrs McLoughney retired to the popular and luxurious wedding venue, the Shannon Oaks Hotel and Country Club in Portumna, Co Galway, where guests enjoyed a champagne reception and other light refreshments.

Following family photographs in the wonderful Old Abbey grounds close to their chosen venue, the newly married couple joined their many guests in the hotels banqueting suite for a lavish feast, which was followed by live music and dancing very late into the evening.

The couple have chosen Marbella in the Mediterranean as their favoured honeymoon destination.

From all their family and many friends in Co.Tipperary, go best wishes to them both for a happy, healthy and prosperous life together.

Thurles Cancer Support Group Meeting

If you light a lamp for someone else, it will also brighten your path.

The Thurles Cancer Support Group is a pillar group for people who have had a cancer diagnosis, regrettably all too prevalent in today’s world.

It is here that not just those diagnosed but also their family members, relatives and friends are welcome to call. It is here that problems real or imaginary can be discussed with trained and knowing listeners.

The group meet on the first Tuesday of each month and the purpose of these meeting is to give members an opportunity to get to know other members, to chat over a cup of tea or coffee and to support others who are experiencing similar difficulties.

Their next meeting date is September 7th, 2010, from 11.00am to 12.30pm in “Suir Haven” which is the Thurles Cancer Support Centre, situated at Clongour Road, Thurles, Co Tipperary.

Volunteers are an essential part of the support groups team work. Their service needs are continuing to grow and accordingly they always welcome additional volunteers.

This group are particularly seeking volunteer services from amongst trained and accredited complementary therapists and counsellors, so do please contact them if you feel that you can give some of your time to helping them out. Any assistance at this time would be greatly appreciated.

Remember that while being good is commendable, only when it is combined with doing good, is it anyway useful. It is the greatest of all mistakes to do nothing because you can only do a little – success is doing just what you can. The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit.

So shines a good deed in a weary world and if you feel you can assist or share in this worthy project, or this group can benefit you, why not make further enquiries to Tel: 0504 21197.

Mick Lally Passes On To That Other Theatre

The Late Mick Lally

Mick Lally, probably best known for playing Miley Byrne, latter for which he won a Jacob’s Award in 1979, passed away this morning after a short stay in hospital, at the age of 64.

Born in November 1945 in Tourmakeady, Co Mayo, Mick was the eldest of a family of seven children; five sisters and one brother. He was educated at the local national school in Tourmakeady and went from there to St Mary’s College in Galway. He later studied History and Irish at UCG going on in 1969 to teach History and Irish in Tuam for approximately six years.

This Mayo born teacher, later turned actor appeared in numerous TV shows including ‘Glenroe’, ‘Ballykissangel’, ‘Bracken’, and the ‘Ballroom of Romance’. He also featured in Oliver Stone’s ‘Alexander’, ‘Ros na Rún’ and ‘The Secret of Kells’ and was also cast in Tyrone born Brian Friel‘s ‘Translations’ back in 1980. He went on to become a member of the Field Day Theatre Company and co-founder of the much lauded Druid Theatre Company with Garry Hynes and Marie Mullen, as well as treading the boards in many of John Millington Synge‘s plays.

No stranger to Thurles town, Mick regularly appeared at the Source Arts Centre where in recent months he performed opposite his Westmeath born and ‘Glenroe’ co-star Mary McEvoy in J.B. Keane’s ‘The Matchmaker’ and with George McMahon in ‘Caught in the Net’.

A fluent speaker of the Irish language, Mick confessed and classified himself as an atheist and regarded religion as the stuff of nonsense and “codology”, but his love of studying local characters and his passion for all things Irish was for ever evident in his unique stage performances.

In July last he launched ‘Tuar Mhic Éadaigh: Stair agus Seanchas’, a new book on the history and folklore of the Tourmakeady area by Fr Pádraig Standun.

One of Irelands most loved actors of his generation, Mick will be dearly missed by the public and by his many colleagues both in theatre and television. His national and international reputation truely earned him the deserved status of an icon of Irish theatre.

Thurles would like to express their sympathy to his wife Peige, their children Saileog, Maghnus and Darach and to his parents.

Warmer Homes Scheme Extended

Deputy Noel Coonan has welcomed the news that last Friday’s deadline for receiving applications under the Warmer Homes Scheme has been extended.

Due to a large demand for the scheme, no closing date has been decided for acceptance of forms. The local Fine Gael TD said North Tipperary people can still apply by ringing his office on 0504 32544 or contacting Sustainable Energy Ireland on 1800 250 204.

“My constituency offices have been inundated with queries about the scheme and in my conversation with Sustainable Energy Ireland I was informed last week that last Friday’s deadline was scrapped. This is welcome news for people who were anxiously trying to apply before week’s end,” said Deputy Coonan.

The Warmer Homes Scheme aims to improve the energy efficiency and warmth of homes that are lived in by people on low incomes. It is operated by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), Ireland’s national energy agency. To qualify, you must live in a privately-owned home and be eligible for fuel allowance. A standard cost of approximately €150 may be charged for the work with the rest covered by the scheme.
Regional and community-based organisations are funded to carry out the work, which includes:
•   Attic insulation
•   Draught proofing
•   Lagging jackets
•   Energy efficient lighting
•   Cavity wall insulation
•   Energy advice.

100 Engineers Being Recruited By Kentz

Kentz, the Clonmel, Co Tipperary based Engineering Company is set to recruit more than 100 engineers as part of its recent expansion in Australia.

Kentz is a global engineering specialist solutions provider with over 10,000 employees operating in 26 countries worldwide. It provides specialist Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) services, Construction, and Technical Support Services to clients in the energy and resources sectors.

Kentz is listed on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange (symbol: KENZ).

The company is looking to fill more than 100 positions for experienced electricians and instrument technicians to work on its $400 million Australian dollars contracts in oil and gas projects procured in Australia over the past 18 months.

Kentz are looking for electricians with industrial experience from a construction background. Those with high voltage switching and commissioning experience in industrial plants are of particular interest. Instrument technicians experienced in loop checking and calibrating instruments in industrial facilities, together with electricians and instrument technicians with oil and gas experience are of particular interest.

Posts will be long term contracts, offered on a rotational basic – that is 12 weeks on, two weeks off with flights back home included.

A company spokesperson said that domestic or commercial type experience may not be relevant for these roles.

Interviews will be held in the Kentz, Clonmel office at Gurtnafleur, Clonmel, Co Tipperary, during the third week of September and personnel recruited can expect to begin work by the end of October 2010.

Those suitably qualified and interested in applying, can click here to apply on line.

Fire Causes Damage To Blakes Bar In Friar Street Thurles

The popular Blake's Bar, Friar Street, Thurles.

Friar Street here in Thurles, Co.Tipperary was tonight (Monday) cordoned of by police, following a fire which seriously damaged the popular public house locally known as Blake’s Bar.

The fire appears to have started in the upper story of the well known and popular public house.

Gardai and two sections of Thurles fire brigade attended at the scene and the fire is now understood to be under control.

There have been no reports of any injuries as a result of the blaze.

Gardai were advising motorists traveling west, to use Parnell Street, turning left unto Castle Avenue, to avoid the area.

Gang Target BMW Airbags

BMW 7 Series, Drivers Airbag

BMW car owners are being warned to be vigilant following the revelation by gardai, that a gang of specialist thieves have begun stealing airbags.

The gang which are known to operate presently in the Tipperary, Cork and Waterford areas of the country presently are singling out 5 series or 7 series BMW saloons or coupes.

The thieves are breaking into these vehicles and removing the drivers airbags, without activating them. As many as 15 such thefts have taken place in Cork alone, since the end of July of this year.

Airbags for a 5 series or 7 series BMW saloon or coupe can be worth as much as €1,500 to prospective buyers.

Cannabis Factory Raided In Nenagh

Cannabis Sativa

Gardaí in Nenagh, Co Tipperary yesterday, seized cannabis plants as part of a planned search of an apartment in the town.

The garda search operation took place in a property in Nenagh at about 1.00pm yesterday.

One man in his 50′s was arrested following the search and is currently being held at Nenagh Garda station, under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996.

Growing equipment was also seized during the police search.

The cannabis (also known as marijuana) plants seized are understood to be in various stages of growth and hold an estimated street value of approximately €32,000.

In 2003 Ireland was 16th on the table of lifetime prevalence of cannabis use among all adults between the ages 15 – 64 year olds, according to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, which placed us higher than larger populated countries such as China, Japan and Sweden.

John Wade Wins Tony Hawk Skateboard Competition

Monthly Competition Winners

A big congratulations to John Wade, Monakeeba,Thurles, our July/August winner of the Tony Hawk: Ride for the PlayStation3 console.

The Tony Hawk: Ride Skateboard competition was kindly sponsored this month by Ireland’s leading video game website, TheGamingLiberty.com.

Pictured here is sponsor,TGL’s Shane Willoughby, Kickham Street, Thurles, with John Wade and his grandson Shane Breen, Beechwood Lawns, Thurles, latter just one of the beneficiaries of John’s good fortune, being presenting with his prize.

Eight year old Shane, who is an avid computer games follower and a lover of hurling, presently attends Scoil Ailbe here in Thurles, as a Fourth year student.

We hope that Shane and his mates have many hours of enjoyment with their very fine prize.

Keep watching this site for details of our August/September Competition, which will be announced shortly.

Help Gardaí Find Missing Nenagh Boy Szymon Bareja

Missing - Szymon Bareja

Gardaí have issued an appeal for help in finding a teenager who has gone missing since Thursday last.

Fourteen year old Szymon Bareja, who is a Polish national, was last seen at his home in Ciamalta Meadows, Nenagh, Co Tipperary, at approximately 2.00pm.

He is described as being approximately 5ft 5in tall (1.65m), nine stone (57kg) in weight, with short black hair. When last seen Szymon was wearing a black, zipp fronted, hoody with black or grey cotton trousers, elasticated at the ankles, with trouser sides bearing the logo “Animal”. He was wearing new black Nike runners with white rim soles.

The boy has two distinctive scars to his head, one is visible on the right cheek below his right eye, the other is displayed as a reversed “L” or “V”shaped scar on his centre right forehead just above his hairline.

Please note picture – for distinctive marks described.

If you have any information regarding Szymon’s whereabouts, the Gardaí can be contacted in confidence at Nenagh, Tel: 067-50450 or on the Garda Confidential Line Tel: 1800 666 111.