Thurles and Tipperary exposed as new national website highlights Ireland’s wasted housing potential.
12 Sites On Local Thurles Register, As New Website Exposes Nationwide Housing Potential.
A newly launched website highlighting thousands of derelict properties across Ireland has brought renewed attention to the growing problem of neglected buildings in County Tipperary, including Thurles, where 12 sites were officially recorded in the wider municipal district earlier this year.
The website, DerelictProperties.ie, was developed by software engineer Mr Michael Gannon, who brought together information from local authority derelict-site registers, into a searchable national resource.
Covering more than 2,700 properties nationwide, the project highlights buildings and sites that may represent significant opportunities for housing, restoration and town-centre regeneration. However, the question for residents of Thurles and County Tipperary is whether the publication of such information will finally lead to any meaningful action.
Derelict Sites In Thurles And County Tipperary
According to information provided to local councillors and reported on August 7th, 2026, there were 12 properties recorded on the Derelict Sites Register in the Thurles Municipal District.
Across County Tipperary, the same report identified the following figures:
Thurles — 12 properties.
Tipperary/Cahir/Cashel Municipal District — 58 properties.
Clonmel — 37 properties.
Nenagh — 18 properties.
Carrick-on-Suir — 16 properties.
Note: These figures relate to municipal districts rather than exclusively to individual towns.
More recent reporting has indicated that the countywide register contains over 140 entries, reflecting the continuing addition of derelict properties. Tipperary County Council’s July 2026 management report recorded 141 sites, compared with 115 at the beginning of the year.
Identifiable Derelict Buildings And Sites In Thurles
A number of locations in Thurles have previously been publicly identified in connection with dereliction, neglect or regeneration.
No. 3 Ikerrin Road, Thurles
On January 10th, 2023, Tipperary County Council served a formal ‘Derelict Site Notice’ on a private dwelling at No. 3 Ikerrin Road, under Section 8 of the Derelict Sites Act 1990. The notice required the property owner to make written representations by February 9th, 2023. The building still remains boarded up and derelict.
Former Munster Hotel, Cathedral Street, Thurles
The former Munster Hotel, situated near the Cathedral Street and Kickham Street area of Thurles town centre, has previously been publicly described as a derelict and neglected building.
The premises featured in local reporting during 2024 concerning a proposed telecommunications mast at the adjoining car park, identified as No. 2 Kickham Street. The planning application was subsequently refused.
Stradavoher Road, Thurles
A site situated on Stradavoher Road, directly opposite Stradavoher Court, was described as derelict when conditional planning permission for a proposed 36-house development was reported in May 2021.
The approximately one-hectare site demonstrates how neglected land can offer opportunities for additional residential development.
Croke Street / Slievenamon Road, Thurles
Tipperary County Council’s Thurles Local Area Plan also identifies a regeneration site at Croke Street and Slievenamon Road, including an unfinished multi-storey car park. This location represents another example of underused urban land with potential for future redevelopment. The council’s regeneration documentation also identifies sites in Stradavoher, including former residential and agricultural premises.
[Important clarification: These are historically documented examples of dereliction or regeneration opportunities. Their inclusion here should not be interpreted as confirmation that every location remains on the statutory Derelict Sites Register as of October 2026.]
Members of the public can access the council’s official register, dated July 14th, 2026, HERE. (Scroll to bottom of page to access Excel sheet)
The document provides an official reference point for examining derelict sites throughout County Tipperary.
It is important that residents distinguish between properties formally entered on the statutory register and buildings which may be vacant, neglected or identified separately for regeneration.
Council Pursuing Derelict Property Owners
Tipperary County Council has indicated that it intends to strengthen enforcement against property owners who fail to address dereliction.
Its May 2026 management report recorded that €1.1 million in derelict-site levies had been issued for the year.
Under the Derelict Sites Act 1990, local authorities have powers to require improvements to properties, impose annual levies and, in appropriate circumstances, acquire derelict sites through compulsory purchase procedures.
A levy equivalent to 7% of a property’s market valuation may be imposed annually while it remains on the register.
The council has also secured €5 million under the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund to tackle long-term vacant and derelict buildings in Thurles, Clonmel, and Nenagh.
In May 2026, council officials reported that approximately 60% of the 85 properties identified under the funding programme were in the process of being brought back into use.
That is encouraging, although the public will reasonably expect to see measurable results.
Could Derelict Properties Help Address The Housing Crisis?
With continuing demand for accommodation throughout County Tipperary, bringing suitable vacant and derelict properties back into use should remain a priority. Many older buildings are situated close to existing roads, public services, schools, shops and transport facilities. Their restoration could support town-centre renewal while reducing the need to develop additional greenfield land.
Not every derelict property is suitable for housing. Some will require extensive structural repairs, substantial investment or planning approval. Nevertheless, each potentially usable building deserves proper consideration.
Financial supports, including the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant, may assist eligible property owners and purchasers in returning qualifying homes to residential use.
Thurles Deserves Clear Answers
For Thurles residents, the publication of the official register raises several important questions:
- How many of the 12 registered properties in the Thurles Municipal District are actually situated within Thurles town?
- How many have received formal enforcement notices, and how many have since been repaired or removed from the register?
- How much derelict-site levy income has been collected locally?
- Are any suitable buildings being considered for acquisition or conversion into housing?
- Most importantly, how long must residents continue to tolerate neglected and deteriorating buildings in prominent locations?
Thurles, like other towns across County Tipperary, deserves an attractive, functioning town centre where existing buildings are maintained, suitable vacant properties are returned to use and neglected sites do not remain abandoned indefinitely.
A derelict property register should be more than an administrative list. It should provide the foundation for practical action.
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