Thurles’ Daily Soaking Service Continues As Blocked Drain Turns Footpath into Splash Zone.
Residents and pedestrians using the Cabragh Road (Thurles town side of the old Sugar Factory site), report that roadside flooding over the past number of days is not a once-off weather emergency linked to Storm Chandra, but an everyday, repeat-performance hazard, caused by a blocked drain.
While Storm Chandra is a real named storm in the current naming cycle, with Met Éireann issuing commentary on its impacts nationally, locals say the Cabragh Road situation is far more reliable: it doesn’t need a storm, a warning, or even a stiff breeze to deliver ankle-deep water and a full-body rinse to anyone on the footpath.
According to residents, the scene is depressingly familiar; cars, vans and artic trucks pass, water sheets across the road on both sides and pedestrians get soaked “to say the least”, simply for attempting to walk on a public footpath.
“First we’ve heard of it”, again.
Members of the public say they have contacted the local authority repeatedly, only to receive the now-classic response: “Thank you for calling, this is the first we’ve heard of this, and we will get back to you… hopefully a crew will get out there.”
Residents report that nobody gets back to anybody, no crew arrives, and the residential community continues to get “drowned”, with no public comment, they say, from local councillors.
A maintenance service, in theory.
Tipperary County Council’s own public information states that local authorities maintain drains and gullies on public roads by clearing debris to prevent flooding. Locals say Cabragh Road is an example of what happens when that basic function becomes optional.
Other Irish local authorities describe blocked gullies as a straightforward maintenance issue, with clear responsibility for cleaning and response pathways, the kind of normal, boring competence residents say they’d happily settle for on Cabragh Road.
Local reaction
A local spokesperson said: “We’d like to thank Thurles Municipal Council for developing this immersive, all-weather pedestrian experience, where the footpath comes with complimentary road-spray, and the customer service line assures you it’s the first they’ve heard of it, every single time.”
Another added: “Storm Chandra may come and go, but Cabragh Road flooding is part of the local heritage at this stage.”
What residents are asking.
Residents are calling on Thurles Municipal District / Tipperary County Council to:
- Clear the blocked drain immediately and confirm completion publicly.
- Inspect and jet/clean the line, not just “have a look”, to prevent repeat blockages.
- Introduce a routine gully-clearing schedule for known trouble spots.
- Publish a basic response standard for reported drainage hazards on public roads.
Because, as residents point out, a public footpath shouldn’t come with a soaking, and “first we’ve heard of it” shouldn’t be the default setting for an issue that locals say happens continuously; storm or no storm.
So tell me again “Why are we paying rates and property tax?”
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