Resident, local Fianna Fáil, TD Mr Jackie Cahill, has stated publicly, confirming his support for the cleaning of the River Suir in Thurles, however he has also admitted, on Tipp Mid-West Radio, that he is unable “to excessively influence policy in this area”. He also claims that people interested in fishing in the river, struggle to even find access to its banks. But of course there is no difficulty in gaining access to the banks once you have trampled down the three foot high stinging nettles and briars, using a supermarket trolley in an effort to locate water.
We now trust that Mr Cahill will have a chat with his sister, councillor Mrs Kay Cahill-Skehan, to brief her, before the next Thurles Municipal District Council Meeting.
River Suir pictured six years apart. Pics: G. Willoughby
We welcome also the input from re-elected Independent Councillor Mr Jim Ryan, who is committed to, at the next council meeting, quote “calling on all the relevant bodies to come together to formulate a future plan, for the River Suir in Thurles. Currently it is completely overgrown with vegetation. There is no flow or depth and there is always the continuous problem of the green algae forming on the surface. It has become an eyesore and an embarrassment to the town”. SEE HERE:Thurles. Info first raised this issue on November 7th 2013 so this “calling” now comes 11 years to late.
Perhaps all public representatives can confirm: (A)Where has our Grundfus submersible water pump gone, latter which fed our three river fountains? (B) Why has the two weirs, which controlled water levels close to Barry’s Bridge been allowed to deteriorate ? (C)Why do we constantly continue to highlight new projects, while failing to maintain or support that which already exists?
Meanwhile, elected councillors, while you a talking to those who receive large salaries and who must take direct responsible for this total neglect, please see the short video hereunder.
I feel I should point out that Thurles is trying to attract tourists; albeit with little or no success. Perhaps our two resident TD’s; our recently re-elected councillors, together with Thurles Municipal District officials, should take a short walk from the River Walk entrance on the N62, (close to Lidl supermarket), and continue their journey, to the Thurles Town park, situated close to “The Source” building.
Note: the messages of hate scrawled on the Rainbow Seat, placed to celebrate Pride and the LGBTQ+ community and also painted on the flood barriers. See the filth both in and on the surface of the river water. See also the nettles and briars converging unto the walkway, in the name of biodiversity, which now confines young children to their pushchairs and perambulator devices, when choosing to use this river side walkway. God knows we have all the biodiversity we need growing out of our drains, currently within the town’s streetscapes.
Ask why hate messages have not been removed by salaried individuals. Same messages do not represent the feelings of the vast majority of Thurles residents and proper administration must now be immediately implemented.
Time now to take back our town and yes this will put a few noses out of joint, but what the hell! Elected representatives have my full permission to reveal red faces and to feel shame and embarrassed. So what are we getting for our Property Tax, Rates, Parking Charges etc?
So nice to see the Victorian pedestrian entrance on Slievenamon Road, beside Lidl, professionally retained intact after it was moved some 3.5m (10ft) to widen the existing roadway.
I note the hand cut, capping stones are also in place this evening, covered in frost blankets, to protect the fresh concrete.
Unlike the Victorian stile entrance disaster, located entering the once Great Famine Double Ditch, on the Mill Road, (Hanafin’s Folly), destroyed by Tipperary Co. Council, under the stewardship of Mr Joe MacGrath; the pedestrian entrance on the Slievenamon Road entrance has been done by by someone, who can truly call themselves a professional stonemason.
Nice work by those responsible and hopefully the Victorian cast iron revolving gate will also be returned to its original place. Thurles residents reading this article, will remember these 2 cast iron gates at both ends of the river Suir walkway, were beautifully restored by that once engineering master, the late Mr Wilbert Houben, back in the late 1980s.
In the meanwhile, we can expect to see motorcycles using the walkway, if same is left open.
NOTE: If you are using this walkway in the company of small children, please do take care, as young unsupervised children could easily run out onto the roadway, into the ever fast moving traffic on this section of the N62.
This Summer (Deo volente) we can look forward to a more leisurely saunter and “Dwell Awhile”, [as is our new town tourist motto], beside the River Suir here in Thurles.
Regular walkers on the 150 metre stretch, directly behind the new Lidl Supermarket, will have noted the erection of cement bases over the past few weeks. These bases were introduced to accommodate the new public seating recently erected. This welcome new seating has been kindly sponsored by some local businesses, i.e., Dew Valley Foods (2 seats), Sherry Fitzgerald Gleeson (1 seat) and Seamus & Peg Hanafin (1 seat).
Sadly, as yet no bases have been erected to accommodate a couple of litter bins. Evidence of the future results of this negligence can be observed in the picture, shown on right, above.
Hopefully some businesses may now offer to sponsor litter bins.
Pictured hereunder is the first published picture of the newly landscaped Thurles river walk stretching, sandwiched and running parallel between the west bank of the river Suir and the new proposed Lidl Supermarket Site.
Yes, it is nicely landscaped, with grass seed sown on both sides of a narrow, winding, tarmac pathway; reminiscent of the yellow brick road taken by Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Lion in the musical fantasy film ‘The Wizard of Aus’.
From what we can see, a few, fast growing, short lived Alder trees have also been planted; each dotted here and there along this 150 metre stretch of the river bank. Wire plastic coated fencing attached to wooden stakes, divides the Supermarket chain’s intended new premises from the public right-of-way river walkway.
“Beware, beware the hawthorn Lest it strike you down For if you take an axe to it You’ll rue that you were born” (Giles Watson)
All of the above, to my mind, ineffective changes come at the cost of one pair of Song Thrushes being made homeless; their nesting site and eggs destroyed. Flowering Queen Anne’s Lace, Plaintain (Slánus), Bindweed, Cow Parsley, Hogweed, are just a few of the species all once sheltering beneath a 130 metre stretch of healthy Hawthorn trees (May Tree) were also annihilated to be replaced by sod all.
Alas, these Hawthorn trees were not obviously inhabited or protected by fairy folk, worse luck, as legend suggests, so gone for good are 130 metres of native spiny branches, whose flowers will no longer spread their heavenly sweet scent, on late May and June evenings. Gone are 130 metres where normally honeybees, bumblebees and a great variety of insect species, flitted urgently, immersed in their intricate work of gathering nectar and pollen, thus making it an important part of our ecosystem, and at a time when land-based insects are rapidly disappearing.
The European Commission has clearly stated that there has been an alarming decline in pollinator species, with 10% of bees and butterflies nearing extinction. The loss of wild pollinators remains a cause for grave concern, because around 80% of crops depend, in part at least, on their ability to pollinate.
Here in Ireland, a third of our wild bee population is facing the threat of extinction; that’s according to the National Biodiversity Data Centre in Waterford.
Gone are 130 metres of Hawthorn hedging, which each year offered a mass of red berries to birds, as their autumn and winter feed.
One law for the general public, another law for developers.
Under the terms of the Irish Wildlife Act, hedge-cutting is only permitted between September 1st and February 28th. This law aims to protect and maintain wildlife diversity by establishing areas where, in particular, birdlife can thrive during the nesting season. The law also prohibits the cutting, burning, grubbing or deliberate destruction of vegetation.
So who gave the developers of the Lidl site, in Thurles, permission to destroy biodiversity in this area?
Will they be sought out and prosecuted?
Will they be forced to replace the Hawthorn trees they ripped up?
Most likely not; but remember “What we do to the environment we ultimately do to ourselves as humans”.
Tipperary County Council are inviting you to submit a tender for the tender competition stated hereunder. Tender documentation and other particulars may be submitted here through the e-tenders tender box. (Reference Tcc001151E)
Thurles River Walk Photo: George Willoughby
Detailed description:
Tipperary County Council and Thurles Municipal District are now working towards the provision of new footways/cycle paths and improvements to existing footways adjacent to the River Suir and its tributary, the Drish River. The overall development now under consideration is sub-divided into four phases as follow: –
Phase 1. Extending along the west bank of the River Suir from the footbridge adjacent to the Town Park at Thomond Road, as far as Thurles Golf Club. Phase 2. Extending northwards along the east bank of the River Suir as far as its confluence with the Drish River and from there along the south bank of the Drish River as far as the bridge on Mill Road. Phase 3. Extending along the Drish River from the bridge on Mill Road to the N75 National Secondary Road on the outskirts of Thurles; Phase 4. Extending from the bridge on Mill Road for a distance of approximately 1km northwards along Mill Road to meet up with the existing footpath.
The Project, to which this Consultant’s Brief (May 2021) (the “Brief”) relates, consists of the following elements of the overall development:-
The preliminary design, route selection and preparation of the overall Master Plan in respect of Phases 1 to 4 inclusive, and
The Part 8 planning process, the detailed design, tender, construction and handover stages of Phases 1 and 2only.
Response deadline(Irish time): – 05/07/2021 by 12:00 noon.
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