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Tomorrows ‘Irish Mail On Sunday’ Highlights Thurles Great Famine Double Ditch

“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 on Thurles.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: –

May 30th, 2019
http://www.thurles.info/2019/05/30/what-do-we-know-about-the-thurles-knaggs-family/
October 28th, 2019
http://www.thurles.info/2019/10/28/thurles-double-ditch/
May 24th, 2020
http://www.thurles.info/2020/05/24/thurles-heritage-in-grave-danger/
August 21st, 2020
http://www.thurles.info/2020/08/21/contemplative-thurles-elected-reps-fail-to-answer-basic-questions/
September 7th, 2020
http://www.thurles.info/2020/09/07/non-productive-tds-councillors-commanding-large-salaries-for-no-work/
September 9th, 2020
http://www.thurles.info/2020/09/09/update-on-failure-by-thurles-councillors-to-reply-to-local-queries/
September 11th, 2020
http://www.thurles.info/2020/09/11/update-on-answers-to-questions-from-elected-thurles-representatives/
September 16th, 2020
http://www.thurles.info/2020/09/16/more-news-on-efforts-to-destroy-thurles-heritage/
September 17th, 2020
http://www.thurles.info/2020/09/17/even-more-news-on-efforts-to-destroy-thurles-heritage-by-tipperary-co-co/
September 20th, 2020
http://www.thurles.info/2020/09/20/some-thurles-elected-councillors-faithless-treacherous-and-deceitful/
September 25th, 2020
http://www.thurles.info/2020/09/25/update-on-destruction-of-thurles-heritage-by-tipperary-co-council/
September 27th, 2020
http://www.thurles.info/2020/09/27/thurles-double-ditch-tipperary-county-council-continue-in-their-silence/
October 10th, 2020
http://www.thurles.info/2020/10/10/further-correspondence-in-relation-to-thurles-famine-double-ditch/

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