Thurles Information

“Don’t Sell Out Our Lake”: Cllr Phyll Bugler On Shannon–Dublin Pipeline.

A North Tipperary councillor has warned that Tipperary County Council must “come out strongly” with regard to its position on the proposed Shannon-to-Dublin water transfer scheme, as the multi-billion euro project moves through the planning process.

The proposal from Uisce Éireann would abstract treated water from the River Shannon system at the Parteen Basin and transfer it through a new pipeline to support supplies in the Eastern and Midlands region and the Greater Dublin Area. Planning permission has been lodged with An Coimisiún Pleanála.

What is being planned?
Project documentation published by Uisce Éireann sets out a new abstraction from the lower Shannon at Parteen Basin; a proposed water treatment plant near Birdhill, and a pipeline running approximately 170km to a termination point reservoir at Peamount, connecting into the Greater Dublin Area network.

Uisce Éireann states the abstraction would be a maximum of 2% of the long-term average flow at Parteen Basin. The volume most commonly cited in public reporting is roughly 330–350 million litres per day (depending on the source and whether a rounded “up to” figure is used).

Cost estimates are varied. Uisce Éireann has referenced a preliminary indicative range in the €4.58bn–€5.96bn bracket, while other reporting has noted higher “worst-case” risk scenarios discussed in official correspondence.

“A legacy of a beautiful lake that’s destroyed”
Speaking on local radio, Councillor Bugler said she fears the council will not oppose the project strongly enough when it finalises its submission. She said she raised her concerns directly with council Chief Executive Ms Sinéad Carr, warning against any temptation to prioritise potential local “community benefit” funding over environmental impact.
She has urged the council not to “sell us out” and said she was worried about damage to Lough Derg for future generations.

Uisce Éireann has said it is proposing a “bespoke Community Benefit Scheme” linked to communities hosting construction and permanent infrastructure.

Criticism after Killaloe meeting.
The councillor also criticised Uisce Éireann’s public engagement after a recent information meeting in Killaloe, saying she was dissatisfied with the answers provided on how the project would operate during low-flow or drought periods.
In particular, she questioned how a 2% abstraction figure based on long-term averages would translate during dry spells and whether abstraction would be reduced or suspended, and what that would mean for the reliability of supply to Dublin and the wider region.

**Proposed Tipperary – Dublin Pipeline**.

“What turns this from local frustration into national hypocrisy is the scale of spending Ireland is willing to contemplate elsewhere. The Irish Government has backed the Water Supply Project for the Eastern and Midlands region, intended to bring a new long-term water source from the Shannon system towards the greater leaking Dublin area“. See Link Here

Ms Bugler further claimed that some representatives displayed limited familiarity with local water and wastewater infrastructure, including the source of supply for towns Ballina and Newport from the Mulcair River, and raised concerns about treatment levels at Ballina’s wastewater facility. These are allegations made by the councillor in media reports; Uisce Éireann has not, in the published material cited here, issued a point-by-point response to those specific claims.

Council submission in preparation.
Meanwhile, Tipperary County Council is preparing its formal submission to the planning authority. Separate coverage has reported that consultants have been appointed to assist the council in drafting its response.
With the application now before An Coimisiún Pleanála, we learn that stakeholders and members of the public can also make submissions as part of the statutory process, ahead of a decision on whether the project proceeds and, if so, under what conditions.

Chocolate Easter Eggs, Peppa Pig, & The Price Of “Pester Power”

The Easter Supermarket Aisle is really a ‘Confession’ of what we Value.

Not taste. Not ingredients. Not children’s health. What we value and what we reward, is packaging that wins the argument in the moment.

Enter into any Irish supermarket in the weeks before Easter and you’ll find it, that dazzling wall of foil, cartoon faces and glossy packaging, positioned strategically at child height.
Now walk a child past that wall of Easter eggs and watch what happens. They don’t scan ingredients. They scan cartoon characters, colour and sparkle. Their attention is being bought through design and the bill is handed to parents at the till.

That’s why the palm oil conversation matters. Not because palm oil is a cartoon villain, but because it’s often part of a bigger formula: cheaper fats, big sweetness, high profit margin, huge volume.
And, when you attach that formula to a licence kids already love, you get a product that sells itself and most importantly for the retailer, sells fast.

A Tesco listing for a Tesco Peppa Pig Easter product includes “Vegetable Fats (Palm, Shea…)”.
Read that again; the most child-attractive packaging can be paired with ingredients designed to protect a price point, not a growing body.
Now here’s the part that will annoy people. Supermarkets will say, “We simply stock what customers buy.”

Yes True, but incomplete.
Retailers shape what customers buy. They choose what gets eye-level space, what gets aisle-end promotion, what gets “2 for €X”. They decide what looks like the normal choice.
If the loudest, sweetest, most character-heavy egg is placed where every family must pass, then “choice” becomes a bit of theatre. A kid asks. A parent caves. The system works exactly as is so designed.

And don’t pretend we don’t know the long game. Health guidance remains consistent: keep saturated fat lower overall and don’t let it quietly dominate the diet.
We also know that diets built around ultra-processed treats don’t damage a child in one day, they train preferences and routines over years.

The tragedy is that Irish makers who are trying to do it better are often invisible to children.

Chocolate Garden of Ireland says it does not use palm oil.
Clo Chocolates says “NO palm oil.”
Grá Chocolates’ founder says they’ll never use it.

That’s a strong ethical and ingredient choice. But on a crowded Easter shelf, a subtle box can’t compete with the instant dopamine or feel-good hit of a character egg.

So here’s my fair, defensible ask:
Supermarkets: Stop hiding Irish quality behind adult-looking packaging and premium-price assumptions. Give local makers seasonal visibility where families actually shop. Supermarkets aren’t trying to harm children. They are, however, designed to maximise sales per metre of shelf space. Character products sell fast, drive “pester power”, and deliver predictable seasonal turnover. Artisan chocolate can be slower-moving, pricier, and less visually “grabby” for small hands.
Irish chocolatiers: You don’t need to slap a cartoon face on everything, but you do need to meet kids where they are. Easter is visual. Make “better ingredients” look fun. The uncomfortable truth is that the better chocolate product often loses the packaging battle. Here’s where Easter gets unfair. Many artisan brands package beautifully for adults; elegant boxes, subtle colours, premium cues, but kids don’t buy with adult eyes.
Parents: Don’t let the aisle decide for you. Flip the box. Read the fat list. Buy the fun, but buy it with open eyes. Look for palm oil/palm kernel oil on the label (it will be named).

Easter should be a treat. It shouldn’t be a marketing lesson where children learn that the brightest box is automatically the best choice.

If we really want better food culture, we have to reward it, not just applaud it.

A Night Of Music For A Great Thurles Cause – “In Our Hands”

There’s something special on the way for Thurles, a proper live night out with a purpose at its heart; supporting “In Our Hands”, the re-roofing campaign to preserve our Cathedral of the Assumption, for generations to come.

We’re delighted to confirm that final plans for the music night are now almost concluded. While the final details are still being agreed, the spirit of the evening is already clear; community, music, and meaningful support for a cause that matters deeply, right across the Diocese of Cashel and Emly.

Those performing have very kindly committed to making this a night that keeps the campaign front and centre, and it’s being done in a particularly fitting way. The event will also mark a milestone year for the professional performers themselves, a moment that reflects years of gigs, hard work, and loyal audiences who kept showing up. Rather than celebrating quietly, they’ve chosen to share it in the best way possible; by helping the events committee restore Thurles Cathedral roof.

So what can people expect?

A professional live music night — Upbeat, Welcoming, and Community-focused for all age groups.
Clear ticketed fundraising on the night, with a chance to win major raffle prizes.
Confirmed updates coming soon in relation to date, venue and time.

In the meantime, please keep an eye out, spread the word, and if you can, bring a friend.
Nights like this work best when the whole community gets behind them — because the best kind of anniversary isn’t just looking back. It’s giving something forward.

Tickets will cost €25.00. Come for the tunes, the atmosphere, and the shared sense of doing something worthwhile — all under the one roof, all pulling in the same direction.

Remember: Success is sweeter when it’s shared.

Death Of Nora Lonergan, Dublin.

It was with great sadness that we learned of the death, yesterday February 14th 2026, of Ms Nora Lonergan, Cowper Road, Dublin and late of Gurtnagarde, Cappamore, Co. Limerick and AIB Rathgar and Dame St. Dublin.

Ms Lonergan passed away peacefully following a long illness.

Her passing is most deeply regretted, sadly missed and lovingly remembered by her sorrowing family; loving sisters Jody Delaney (Borrisoleigh, Thurles), Amy Kennedy (Pallasgreen), and Ciss Ryan (Newport), brothers-in-law Pakie and Michael, cherished nieces and nephews extended relatives, neighbours and many friends.

Requiescat in Pace.

Funeral Arrangements.

The earthly remains of Ms Lonergan will repose at Meehan’s Funeral Home, Cappamore, Co. Limerick, on Monday afternoon, February 16th, from 5:00pm until 6:30pm, same evening.

Her remains will be received into the Church of St Michael, Main Street, Cappamore, on Tuesday morning, February 17th, to further repose for Requiem Mass at 11:30am, followed by interment, immediately afterwards in Doon Old Graveyard, Doon, Co. Limerick.

The extended Lonergan family wish to express their appreciation for your understanding at this difficult time, and have made arrangements for those persons wishing to send messages of condolence, to use the link shown HERE.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a h-anam dílis.

After Recent Fresh Dáil calls For Votes At Age 16, Ireland Should Think Twice.

Reducing the voting age to 16 is often sold as a simple, modern reform, to bring young people into the ‘democratic tent’ earlier, to boost turnout, and strengthen civic culture.
In practice, it is neither simple nor risk-free. If voting is the most consequential act of civic membership, then lowering the threshold should only happen where the benefits are clear, durable and supported by institutional scaffolding to make sure it work.
Right now, there are strong reasons not to entertain it.

First is principle and coherence: Eighteen is widely understood as the point at which the State recognises full adult status. Voting sits alongside other “full membership” rights and responsibilities, and it matters that this package is intelligible. Lowering the voting age, while leaving most other adult thresholds intact, either creates a new inconsistency, or invites pressure to “tidy up” the rest of the law to match. Either way, it is not a neat reform; it changes the logic of adulthood in public policy.

Second. The lived reality of 16-year-olds is structural dependence. Many teenagers are financially dependent, living under parental authority, and constrained by school and household expectations. That does not mean they cannot form political views. It does mean their ability to cast an independent vote can be narrower than it is for adults. In some cases, the risk is that a ballot becomes a proxy for household influence, not a genuinely autonomous civic voice.

Third. The modern information environment makes younger cohorts more vulnerable to manipulation. Politics is increasingly shaped by micro-targeting, influencer pipelines and rapid misinformation loops. Expanding the electorate to include minors increases the premium on strong media-literacy and civic preparation. Even advocates of votes at 16 regularly acknowledge that early, structured political education is essential. The problem is that civic education is uneven and often contested, so the reform risks outpacing the safeguards.

Fourth concern: Schools become an unavoidable political battleground. If 16-year-olds are voters, schools are the most efficient point of contact. Teachers and principals would face intensified pressure to “balance” content; parents would worry about politics being smuggled into classrooms; campaign groups would seek access through “non-partisan” resources. International discussions of votes at 16 frequently stress education as a prerequisite, but that is exactly where the most polarising arguments land.

Fifth. There are serious administrative and safeguarding complications around registration. An electoral register must be usable and transparent, but the Irish State also has a duty to protect under 18s’ personal data. Where 16–17s have been enfranchised, special arrangements have been needed to manage this tension. It is not a reason never to do it, but it is a reason not to treat the change as cost-free or merely symbolic.

Sixth. The political and constitutional “bandwidth” argument matters, especially in Ireland. Changing the national voting age is not a routine legislative tweak; it carries constitutional implications and would demand major political energy. In a country with multiple urgent reform priorities; housing, health capacity, infrastructure, cost-of-living etc., there is a fair question; “Is this the best use of this scarce reform capital?”

And Finally. The promised benefits are not guaranteed. Events that feel unusually important, visible, and emotionally charged, can see strong youth participation, but that does not automatically translate into higher turnout in ordinary elections or lasting engagement. Research from countries that have lowered the age are encouraging findings in some contexts, mixed results in others, and a recurring theme that outcomes depend heavily on preparation and political environment. In other words, the evidence is conditional not a clear mandate.

None of this denies that young people deserve a stronger voice.
It argues that lowering the voting age is a blunt tool with real downsides. If the aim is youth influence and civic strength, there are lower-risk steps; better civic education and media-literacy; easier registration at 18; structured youth assemblies with real consultation power; even pilots at local level where issues are closer to daily life. Before redefining who gets a vote, we should fix the foundations that make democratic participation meaningful in the first place.