Firstly, since we initially raised the issue of the Great Famine Double Ditch, asking the simple question: –
“Will the planned Thurles inner relief road impinge, in a negative way, on the 1846 Thurles ‘Double Ditch’, which has been a right of way and a Mass Path for almost 175 years and which is the property of the people of Thurles?”
Now, to-date, we have not received even one denial or indeed even one admission to our simple question requiring just a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer from any elected national, local or senior official, charged with representing Tipperary.
Councillor Mr Shane Lee has now joined the ranks of the rest of the so called ‘Michael Lowry Team Membership’, since he became aware of the article published by ‘The Irish Mail on Sunday’, last week.
On 29th Nov 2020, @ 21:19 (6 days ago)Mr Shane Lee (Independeent [Lowry Team]) wrote: –
George, Thank you for your email. I hope all is well with You & Your Family in these very difficult times. I’d like to highlight George in the 2019 Election I was not part of your area in the Local Elections I wasn’t on the Ballot Papers for Thurles area people didn’t vote for me. Their vote was for the five Councillors that you are aware of in your area and five very good lads well capable guys I may add. My point is Thurles is not my area Roscrea/ Templemore electoral area is my area so for future reference if you might remove me from your mailing list please. I dont like the way you reference highlighting silence as that’s definitely not my form for sure. I work extremely hard in my own area. I can speak with Councillor Lowry if you wish as that’s the area Micheal covers? Kindest regards Cllr. Shane Lee.
We emailed Mr Lee by return stating: –
Mr Lee, No sir, as a member of Tipperary County Council you represent all of Co. Tipperary. Proof of your position is that you were involved in passing the 2021 Co. Council budget in Littleton last week, that’s according to Council CEO Mr Joe MacGrath; latter which contained no expenditure cuts or increase in commercial rates for the year ahead. This involved €34-35m for housing, €59m on roads, €15m on water services and €29.5m on environmental services. It assures an average spend of just over €3.5m per week; only a portion of which will be spent in the Roscrea/ Templemore electoral area. So you now know that your power is far more reaching, and affects more communities than just your principality of Roscrea.
Your sincerely George Willoughby.
Cllr. Shane Lee replied: – George, You never answered my question was I on your Ballot Paper? Shane.
We believe however, we possibly may have convinced Mr Lee that his obligations and commitments to his electorate as a Tipperary County Councillor, extends to the whole of County of Tipperary including Thurles, and not merely to the area of Roscrea/Templemore. (Then again, we may not, but we done our best to explain.)
AReply from Mr Malcolm Noonan’s Constituency Assistant. The second reply, following investigative reporter Ms Valerie Handley’s ‘The Irish Mail on Sunday’ article came from Minister Malcolm Noonan’s Constituency Assistant, on behalf of the Minister, and also on 29th November, @ 17:30 (6 days ago)
This email read, Dear George, Please excuse Sunday email. I am catching up with a backlog of emails to Minister Noonan’s constituency office. Can I just confirm with you that you received the autoreply and have resent your email to the Minister’s Departmental office mos@housing.gov.ie ? The constituency office are not able to respond to correspondence on Departmental matters. I hope this is helpful.
Kind regards, Grace Hamilton (Constituency Assistant, on behalf of Malcolm Noonan TD Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform)
My reply to Ms Hamilton was as follows: –
Ms Hamilton, I have attempted to contact MinisterMr Noonan TD on four occasions at his ministerial office, but to no avail. I wrote to you again in the hope that you and Mr Noonan might be on speaking terms, and you might forward my correspondence from his constituency office to his Ministerial Departmental office. Since he does not wish to correspond with me; he might correspond with you and you might relay his findings.
I have also written to Minister Darragh O’Brien on the 15th November last, informing Mr O’Brien regarding the failure by Mr Noonan to investigate and his refusal to communicate, other than auto reply’s; latter which has now forced me to take this matter into the domain of the national media. Not surprisingly, Minister Darragh O’Brien, has not replied either; not even an auto reply. Before you use the words ‘Coviy-19 virus pandemic’ as an excuse, which you might in any future correspondence; I am aware that Mr Malcom Noonan attended in Tipperary Town during the height of the pandemic and could have met with me, to briefly discuss this Issue. He chose not to do so, thus failing to protect what should be a national monument.
Yours sincerely, George Willoughby.
In all, to-date, 16 persons including senior Co. Council officials, 4 Teachtaí Dála, two of which support this present government in Co. Tipperary [namely Michael Lowry and Jackie Cahill], have failed to answer the simple question “Will the planned Thurles inner relief road impinge, in a negative way, on the 1846 Thurles ‘Double Ditch’, which has been a right of way and a Mass Path for almost 175 years and which is the property of the people of Thurles?”
“A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture, is like a tree without roots”.
Quote by Marcus Mosiah Garvey, (Latter a Jamaican political activist, publisher, journalist, entrepreneur, and orator, greatly influenced by the Irish 1916 rising.)
“The land between the Mill Road and the river to the north and south of the relief road corridor is low laying, criss-crossed by field drains and provides poor grazing. This area was wet and soft underfoot during my site inspection and it is likely that, at least in part, it was the flood plain for the Suir.”
Quote by Inspector Mr Hugh Mannion(An Bord Pleanála, Ref.: PL79.JP0024), regarding the Development named: Thurles Relief Road, Thurles, County Tipperary.
It is on this River Suir flood plain that Tipperary Co. Council are now building 26 houses, flooding the north side area of the ‘Double Ditch’. See the two images shown hereunder, as impacted earth floods the soggy building site, forcing the builders to run 2 permanent drains into the North side of the Double Ditch, carrying silt and flooding this local historical site.
Builders draining part of the flood plain for the River Suir, are now destroying the Great Famine ‘Double Ditch’, here in Thurles, with the permission of Tipperary Co. Council. Photo: G. Willoughby.
In tomorrow’s Irish Mail on Sunday, investigative journalist, Valerie Hanley, brings national attention to the plight of the Thurles ‘Double Ditch’, as well as the international descendants connected to its rich local history and the concern for its threatened future.
It is not surprising that the story of the Great Famine ‘Double Ditch’ has now garnered the attention of individuals far beyond the town of Thurles. The story of the Knaggs family and their noble efforts during the Great Famine, is indeed a captivating tale forever immortalised by this Thurles Double Ditch walkway here in Thurles, Co. Tipperary.
What is surprising, as highlighted by tomorrows article, is that despite local, national and international pleas for conservation, it remains unclear if local Tipperary councillors and politicians like Mr Michael Lowry and Mr Jackie Cahill, are willing to acknowledge its historic value and attempt to safeguard its future for future generations of Thurles people.
Builders draining part of the flood plain for the River Suir, are now destroying the Great Famine ‘Double Ditch’, here in Thurles, with the permission of Tipperary Co. Council.Photo: G. Willoughby.
Here’s hoping tomorrow’s article in the Irish Mail on Sunday and our ongoing campaign here onThurles.Info will help to raise more awareness, thus helping to save this Double Ditch as part of our town’s rich historic culture.
To refresh our memories regarding the historic origins of the Double Ditch and this ‘Great Famine Walkway’ see all links shown hereunder: –
Tipperary marked the centenary of Bloody Sunday with a truly excellent performance at Páirc Uí Chaoimh today, seeing off Cork to win the Munster Senior Football Championship (SFC) ending their 85 year drought; last achieved back in 1935.
Today November 22nd, from the 16th minute of commencement Tipperary were on top and despite Cork’s efforts remained there throughout the rest of the game, with Conor Sweeney (0-07, 0-02f, 0-02m) and Michael Quinlivan (0-05, 0-01f) jointly providing 12 points between them, ably assisted by Evan Comerford (0-01 45), Kevin Fahey (0-01), Liam Casey (0-01m) substitute Philip Austin (0-01) and Steven O’Brien (0-01).
Representing Tipperary today were: Evan Comerford; Jimmy Feehan; Alan Campbell; Colm O’Shaughnessy; Bill Maher; Kevin Fahey; Robbie Kiely; Liam Casey; Colin O’Riordan; Brian Fox; Conal Kennedy; Steven O’Brien; Conor Sweene; Colman Kennedy; Michael Quinlivan.
Subs: Liam Boland replacing Kennedy, Paudie Feehan for Fahey, Emmet Moloney for Fox, Pádraic Looram for Kiely and Philip Austin for Casey.
Final score at close of play today, Tipperary 0-17, Cork 0-14.
Today, Tipperary were wearing the white and green banded jerseys of Grangemockler, as their county had done on that fateful afternoon back in 1920, when thousands of football fans were assembled in Croke Park, to watch a challenge match between two of the game’s giants, Co. Tipperary and Co. Dublin.
Troops from the Duke of Wellington’s regiment, together with 2 police units, one of undisciplined Black and Tans and one of Auxiliaries, deploying into Croke Park, before Black and Tans began opening fire on the assembled gathering, discharging was over one hundred rounds of rifle fire, and an unknown number of pistol rounds.
The Tipperary team, which had assembled at Croke Park, on November 21st 1920.
All the shots were fired indiscriminately by the Black and Tans before control was regained by Major Edward Mills (latter Commander of the Auxiliary force). Major Mills would later report to his immediate superior, Brigadier-General Frank Crozier, stating “A rotten show, the worst I’ve ever seen.” Following the aftermath of the firing, there were dead and injured civilians, both players and spectators, strewn across the field, 14 of whom would never see home alive again. The true number of injured has never been agreed upon, but is suggested possibly somewhere between sixty and one hundred. Despite searches undertaken on that November afternoon, on every person still within Croke Park, not one weapon was ever located.
Left to Right: – Picture (A) Tipperary & Dublin Jerseys. Picture (B) Michael Hogan. Picture (C) Rear of Tipperary Jersey worn on that day in 1920.
Tipperary Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) have confirmed that its county footballers will wear a replica jersey of that which was worn by the Premier county players on ‘Bloody Sunday’, when they take on Cork in the Munster final officially set for November 22nd 2020.
This decision was taken initially and announced by Tipperary GAA at a press conference in Semple Stadium, Thurles, Co. Tipperary, on February 22nd 2020, as part of the counties Bloody Sunday Commemoration Day. Croke Park has recently approved this jersey as the first official Tipperary Bloody Sunday replica, which will feature an image of Tipperary Football player Michael Hogan on the sleeve, along with the official Co. Tipperary and GAA crests.
Michael Hogan Michael Hogan (Irish – Mícheál Ó hÓgáin), from Grangemockler, South Co. Tipperary, had been chosen to take part in a challenge match between Tipperary and Dublin on November 21st, 1920, and was one of 14 people killed by British military forces in Croke Park, Dublin.
The 2020 Munster Senior Football final will take place this year on Sunday November 22nd 2020; a day after the 100th anniversary of those who sadly were shot during the match, by “Black and Tans” who entered Croke Park and opened fire on the crowd.
On the Saturday prior to match day, November 20th 1920, Michael Hogan had travelled on the train to Dublin with some other members of his team. He and others got involved in a fight with soldiers from the Lincolnshire Regiment, before throwing them from the train.
Having arrived at Kingsbridge Station Dublin (Now renamed Heustan Station), they decided to split up going their separate ways in anticipation of possibly being arrested. Michael and another man, named as Thomas Ryan, both IRA team members, stayed at Philip Shanahan’s pub in Monto (Montgomery Street, latter then the largest red light district in Europe at the time), on that night, rather than staying in Barry’s Hotel as had been planned. Here both men became aware that some IRA action being planned, but were unaware of any of the actual details.
It was during this challenge match, in front of a crowd of some 15,000 people that Black and Tans entered Croke Park and opened fire. Michael Hogan was one of 14 people who sadly lost their lives. Also among the thirteen other victims were fourteen-year-old John Scott and eleven-year-old William Robinson, latter shot while sitting in a tree watching the game.
Today, the Hogan Stand within Croke Park; latter built in 1924, is named after the Co. Tipperary player Michael Hogan.
In a recent post entitled, “Ní neart go cur le chéile. – No strength without unity”, (View Here), we shared a directory of links to local businesses who promote an online presence.
Today we place ‘the spotlight’ firmly on one such successful Thurles business that has cared for Thurles and Co. Tipperary customers, for 3 generations.
Frank Roche & Sons Since its establishment in 1960, Frank Roche & Sons has evolved and expanded to sell a diverse and comprehensive range of products including wallpapers, paints and decorative accessories, housewares, china, glass, giftware, domestic appliances and so much more.
Do check out the video hereunder, which showcases just some of the brands and products, available to purchase for loved ones this Christmas.
If you can’t decide what exactly to purchase for that ‘someone special’, do contact Frank Roche & Sons to arrange a Voucher, allowing for your loved one to easily find a gift to treasure always.
Early History of the Building Housing the Premises Operating as Frank Roche & Sons, No 57, Liberty Square, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.
In 1846 the building at No 57, Main Street Thurles (Now Liberty Square, Thurles) was a Warehouse owned by Thomas Moloney, the rear of which was easily accessed by Cooke’s Lane [Latter situated immediately to the right, as you stand facing the current attractive shop front] The lane was named after Archibald Cook, himself in 1846 trading next door as a Sadlier and Grocer and now occupied today by a Turkish Barbers Shop. Cooke’s Lane also gave access to a pawn shop and a forge at the rear of the featured premises.
In 1846 Mr C. Duan resided to the left of Roche’s and same premises traded as a Bakery and Toy Store. This latter premises would later become Thurles Post Office occupied by An Post until September 2019, before moving to Thurles Shopping Centre, some 500 metre south of Liberty Square.
Former occupiers prior to Frank Roche& Sons.
The building would next be acquired by Meagher Brothers who sold clothing from the premises.
Frank Roche Snr. fulfilled a long held ambition, when he opened his own business, having previously worked in Molloy’s hardware shop, (Just a few doors further up the street, currently today occupied by AIB Bank), for over 35 years. Himself a native of Skibbereen, Co. Cork, Frank Snr. had served his apprenticeship in Kelleher’s Hardware in Skibbereen, before moving to Thurles in 1925. He had been chief buyer for Molloy’s for many years, when his eldest son Allen joined him as a staff member and served his own apprenticeship there.
Frank Roche Snr. had met his wife Maisie Mullaney from Cathedral Street Thurles, before getting married in 1936. They raised a family of six children, with Allen, Frank Jr. and Mary continuing to work in the business.
From small beginnings the company grew under the careful stewardship of Frank Snr. who set about securing agencies for iconic brands such as Waterford Glass, Belleek China, Wedgewood, Royal Doulton, Ladro and Hummel, making them available to the people of Thurles and its hinterland. Home decorating became a key part of their business with brands such as Crown, Colortrend, Sadolin and Farrow & Ball.
Members of the third generation of the Roche family now work in the company, ensuring continuity of the business in providing their iconic brand products to not just the people of Thurles and Co. Tipperary, but also to any address within the islands of Great Britain and Ireland.
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