Travel - Thurles Information

Santa Claus Is Coming To Thurles Town, Co. Tipperary.

In a text message received from Mr Santa Claus, this evening we here at Thurles.Info can confirm that he is arriving here to Thurles tomorrow evening.

Please inform all children.

Tomorrow evening, December 1st 2023, will also see the annual turning on of the Thurles Christmas lights in both Liberty Square and the surrounding streets.

Those wishing to consult with Santa Claus, can call to his ‘Grotto’ in the local Tourist Office on Slievenamon Road, between 6:30pm – 7:30pm same evening, after the lights have been turned on.

Note: Mr Claus will also be in attendance again from 2:00pm until 4:00pm on Saturday December 2nd, 9th and 16th.

[Note: A charge of €3 per child, will insure a gift and sweets.]

Warning To Motorists Travelling In Thurles Area This Weekend.

Persons driving on the Mill Road area, (South east outskirts of Thurles), are being warned to take great care this weekend.

**Crater No. 1, Mill Road, Thurles, Co. Tipperary**.
*Pic: G. Willoughby*.

Over the past 12 months two craters have developed close to the Lady’s Well entrance, latter situated immediately on the corner, having exited the stone bridge which crosses the Drish River. View HERE

The Mill Road, over the past 24 months, has become the preferred choice of cars and heavy duty vehicles, same anxious to avoid Thurles town centre, because of major traffic delays caused by the recent upgrading of half of the Liberty Square town centre area.

**Crater No. 2, Mill Road, Thurles, Co. Tipperary**.
*Pic: G. Willoughby*.

Because of a number of issues, which include (A) the flooding of the Drish river; (B) massively increasing & speeding traffic, which also includes heavy transport vehicles; the road surface has begun to now slide into the river.

From what we understand, (although it is difficult to say for certain these days) this roadway is the responsibility of Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), whose purpose is to provide sustainable transport infrastructure and services, thus delivering a better quality of life, supporting economic growth and respecting the environment.

We first wrote about this issue last April 20th, 2023, and again on October 15th, 2023, alas, to no avail, despite notification having been sent to Tipperary Co. Council.

Currently, the true dept of these craters is being camouflaged/disguised/concealed by the presence of muddy, oily water.
No advance warning signs are currently in place, despite regular users of this roadway being forced out past the centre of the roadway, into oncoming traffic, on a bad corner bend.

WARNING – Thurles Cyclists Beware.

Pictures hereunder currently show the present state of just a two meter (6.56ft) stretch of roadscape in Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

State of roadscape currently on Friar Street in Thurles, Co. Tipperary, latter a town with two Dail Éireann politicians both currently in residence, who have their constituency offices less than 500 meters from the above.
*Pic: G. Willoughby.*

The craters have developed over a period of 12 weeks, on Friar Street in the town, and can be easily located just east of Supervalu.

Cyclists in particular are warned to take great care to avoid these craters positioned close to the footpath. These craters measuring up to 15cm (6ins) deep are a particular hazard after dark, and presently force cyclists to quickly move out into often fast moving traffic, in an effort to avoid the cratered surface.

The current state of this particular streetscape, together with other areas of the town [e.g. Barry’s bridge, Kickham Street etc, etc], demonstrate a total lack of proper administration by Thurles Municipal District Council officials.

**Kickham Street, Thurles, pictured after a light rain shower.**
*Pic: G. Willoughby.*

Perhaps, this would be an opportune time for Mr Jackie Cahill TD and Mr Michael Lowry TD to invite Minister for Transport, Mr Eamon Ryan TD to visit a now forgotten Thurles. Emphasize and ensure that he brings his bicycle and pedals around the town.
Other benefits would be that the latter TD’s could have their pictures taken, together with local Town Councillors.

Nightmare On Croke Street, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

We have seen, or at the very least heard of ‘Nightmare on Elm Street’, the 1984 American supernatural slasher film; the plot of which concerns a group of teenagers who are targeted by Freddy Krueger, latter an undead former child killer, who can murder people through their dreams; as retribution against their parents, who burned him alive.

Well our picture above shows ‘Crater on Croke Street’ which today measured 71.12cm (28ins) across at its widest, and 12.7cm (5ins) at its deepest, and which can be found at the junction of Croke Gardens and Croke Street.
The hole, which has grown considerably larger since first observed, has the ability to slash tyres, or break the axle of a vehicles. [Compare its size to the now defunct small Uisce manhole cover.]

So do take care when driving in this area, as local Thurles Municipal Council officials seem to have become entirely unforthcoming with their shovel of cold tarmac and also with regard to their responsibility as highly paid administrators.

Thurles Tourism promoters take note: I bet you won’t see one of these beauties outside Leinster House on Kildare St, Dublin 2.

Attention Local Councillors: Time to chat-up the Minister for Transport as promised at recent talk shop.

Yet Another Road Fatality In Co. Tipperary.

A man, believed to be aged in his 50s, has sadly lost his life today, following his vehicle coming into collision with a truck in north Co. Tipperary.

The crash occurred just after mid-day, today on the N62, at Whitefields, Templemore.

The male truck driver, also understood to be a man in his 50s, was thankfully uninjured, while the deceased man was the sole occupant of the other vehicle when it collided.

A technical examination of the accident scene, by forensic collision investigators, is scheduled for tomorrow morning.

Gardaí in Thurles, Co. Tipperary are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed the collision to contact them [TEL: 0504-25100]. They are anxious to speak to any road users who were travelling on the N62, between 11:45 and 12:30pm and who may have dash-cam or other footage and information, to make same available to Thurles Gardaí, citing reference: PR20554/2023.

The above sad news comes following confirmation of a further five deaths, in separate crashes on Irish roads, since Friday evening last, bringing the overall death total to 150 deaths on Irish roads, so far this year.