Transport - Thurles Information

Nightmare On Friar Street.

As we are all aware a nightmare is really just a most unpleasant dream that causes strong emotional responses from our minds. Not only does it cause, typically, great fear, but also often great despair, anxiety and even inordinate sadness.

Well between ourselves, and please let this conversation go no further; I had a nightmare last night that left me waking up, drenched in sweat, while shouting “Jackie, where is the half million Euros”.

**Massive hole continues to grow on Friar Street in Thurles**, **Co. Tipperary**.

From what I can still clearly recall, there was a massive hole in the street at Bowes Corner on Friar Street here in Thurles; that was causing a lot of accidents, damage to vehicles and worst of all, deaths.

The Cathaoirleach of Thurles Municipal District Council held an emergency meeting with the more intelligent people on the council, to discuss a possible solution to this most worrying of developments.

One councillor suggested parking an ambulance next to the hole, so that whenever any such accident occurred in the future, the victim could be quickly transported to our majorly overcrowded University Hospital in Limerick, to repose on a trolley, possibly reducing at least a few of the rising fatalities.

Another councillor suggested that there could be a scenario on any GAA match days, where a multiple collision could occur, thus while one ambulance is busy transporting a victim on the 90 mile round trip to Limerick, other victims would be left stretched on our dodgy footpaths. He suggested putting ten ambulances near the hole instead of just one.

A third councillor wisely interrupted and raised his concerns about the prices of petrol and wages for paramedics; pointing out that building a new hospital, next to the hole, would actually cost less in the long term.

Yet another councillor suggested that the assembly were being over dramatic, and with the poor quality of hurling emerging from Tipperary clubs this season, the idea of multiple collisions was the “stuff of unnecessary panic”.

To avoid a plenary session, which would have allowed councillors to spend time working in smaller groups and taking an informal approach to problem solving, with lateral thinking; the Cathaoirleach of the Thurles Municipal District Council interrupted his convened assembly.
He tells them that such solutions are all far too expensive, and instead he suggests that the hole be filled-in immediately and another one dug in front of Limerick hospital to save money.

With no chance of sleep now returning to my weary bones and with the sun coming up over the ridge of Killough Hill, I quickly took a cold shower, got dressed and headed with all haste for Bowe’s Corner.

Yes, thanks be to the Almighty God, I can now confirm it was all a complete nightmare. The nine month old crater still remains fully intact and getting bigger by the day.

Ah, sure I’ll have to stop eating and exercising just before bedtime and avoid those naps in the middle of the day.

M8 Closed To Southbound Traffic Between Thurles & Cashel.

A section of the Dublin to Cork motorway has been closed following a vehicle, becoming overturned, at approximately 8:00pm tonight.

It is not confirmed as yet, if anyone has suffered injuries.

Following the accident, which involved an overturned lorry; Emergency Services were called to the scene on the southbound road between J6 Thurles and J7 Cashel (north).

The road has been closed as a result and Gardaí are diverting traffic through minor roads, to avoid the accident area.

Gardaí have stated on Twitter: “Traffic Alert – Co Tipperary – the M8 is closed to southbound traffic between J6 Thurles and J7 Cashel (north) due to an overturned lorry. Diversions are in place.”

Average Speed Safety Cameras Go Live In Tipp Today.

Motorway Average Speed Safety Cameras, are due to go live on a stretch of road on the M7 this morning, Monday, April 25th, from 7:00am.

The system is expected to be in place on the M7 in Tipperary, betwixt Junction 26 (Nenagh West) and Junction 27 (Birdhill), and in both directions, tracking traffic travelling eastbound and westbound on a stretch of road, which in the past has been the subject of sudden changes in weather.

These cameras will record vehicles at two distinct points, a set distance apart, and will identify the exact time a vehicle passes each of the cameras. This operation will allow Gardaí to accurately calculate the speed of the vehicle’s forward progression.

Note: Vehicles detected driving in excess of the 120km/h motorway speed limit will be subject to prosecution from 07:00hrs today, Monday, April 25th.

The current ‘Fixed Charge Notice’ for speeding is currently an €80 fine accompanied by three penalty points, noted on your driving licence.

Where Is €500,000 Funding For Bowes Corner Project In Thurles?

“You can fool all the people some of the time and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.”

It was in January last, when all our elected representatives, representing various political blandishments, came together with the glad, positive tidings, stating that each and all were fully responsible in acquiring a “grand chunk of auld funding”. Same which of course had been initially sucked from the veins of the Irish taxpayer, latter already lacking enough healthy red blood cells, with which to carry adequate oxygen to their bodily tissue.

Thurles Independent Councillor Mr Jim Ryan; him being the fastest keypad operator, was first to express his particular delight that half a million of taxpayers money was to be spent in the area of “Bowes Corner”, here in west Thurles.

**Just two metres of Roadway existing on** **“Bowes Corner” Thurles today, April 18th, 2022.**

Not surprisingly, half a day later, Tipperary Fianna Fáil TD, Deputy Mr Jackie Cahill, persuaded someone to upload details of his absolute delight in receiving confirmation from none other than his “colleagues in Government”, that this “Bowe’s Corner Junction Improvement Scheme”, had been allocated €500,000 for major alterations. He further expressed his joy in seeing his hard work paying off; while including fellow local Fianna Fáil councillors, namely Mr Seamus Hanafin and Mr Seán Ryan, for working on this and other numerous road and footpath projects, that he couldn’t name.

Independent TD, Deputy Mr Michael Lowry, despite his “Lowry Team” supporters, was last to hear of this success from county council staff, but eventually also got around to find someone to write and welcome this overall allocation, stating that this funding would help make urban centres, throughout the county and the country, more attractive places to live, work, visit and, in the case of Thurles, to remain unemployed.

Now today, three months later, take a look at the state of “Bowes Corner”, in the picture provided above.

What Thurles residents now want to know is where did this €500,000 go?
Did Mr Cahill forget to collect our cheque from Minister for Finance Mr Paschal Donohoe?
Was it spent on the Clonmel Blue Way by accident?
Why is tarmac being laid on our natural walk ways, without our permission and against the wishes of those who enjoy biodiversity; while our streets in Thurles remain perforated, every couple of feet, in giant potholes?

Is it any wonder that individual pedestrians are taking Tipperary County Council officials into the High Court, seeking thousands in compensation for ankle injuries and falls.

Man Dead Following Road Collision In Co. Tipperary.

A male, aged in his 30s, has sadly lost his life in a single-vehicle road collision here in Co. Tipperary last night.

The collision occurred on the R664, at Christ the King, Garyduff, Aherlow, some 6km south of Tipperary town, at approximately 9.45pm last night.

The man, who was the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle, was pronounced dead at the scene, before his body was removed to Waterford University Hospital mortuary.

The road this morning was closed for a technical examination and local diversions were in place.

Gardaí are now appealing to anyone who may have witnessed this collision to come forward. Any road users who may have dash-cam footage or were travelling in the area at the time, are now asked to assist investigating Gardaí.

Indeed, anyone with any information is asked to contact Tipperary Town Garda station Tel. No. 062 806 70, the Garda Confidential Line Tel. No. 1800 666 111 or any Garda station.