Residents of Thurles will be aware that over the past few months it became necessary for the ESB to interrupt the electricity supply in most areas of the town. The reason for these electricity interruptions was Siro, the Irish fibre broadband network operator, which is expanding its network to Thurles, Nenagh and Tipperary Town in Co. Tipperary.
SIRO is a 100% ‘fibre-to-the-building’network, built on ESB infrastructure. With no copper connection at any point along the network, thus making it faster and more reliable.
Fibre Broadband arrives in Thurles. Pic: G. Willoughby.
SIRO was launched in 2015 as a joint venture between the ESB and Vodafone, with the aim of delivering the first 100% fibre-to-the-building broadband across regional Ireland thus revolutionising the broadband market in Ireland.
Fibre to the Home (FTTH) is an access network method that delivers the highest possible speed of Internet connection by using optical fibre that runs directly into the home, building or office. FTTH is unique, because it removes all the bottlenecks that slow the performance of other types of network. The SIRO Network is built using the ESB’s overhead and underground infrastructure, ensuring a fast, reliable and sustainable network.
SIRO claim that there is up to 60% lower energy usage and 80% lower maintenance required for fibre-to-the-building, versus copper networks.
The Co. Tipperary roll-out will bring fibre broadband to more than 7,000 premises in Thurles and Nenagh. The roll-out in Thurles will be completed in the last quarter of 2023, while the work in Nenagh will be completed soon afterwards.
The roll-out to 2,250 premises in Tipperary town will be completed early-2024. Once these additional towns are connected, Siro’s full-fibre broadband network will be available to more than 50,000 premises across County Tipperary.
The network operator has invested more than EUR 20 million to roll out its fibre network across the county to date.
19th Irish Games Fleadh Returns to TUS with a Clear Message on Supporting Positive Climate Action.
Student developers design games with a retro feel of the past, but with a clear message for the future.
TUS Team Win 5 Categories at Games Fleadh 2022.
Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) won five categories at the hotly contested Irish Games Fleadh 2022, hosted by TUS, Thurles Campus.
The popular all island gaming competition returned after a one year hiatus, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with organisers opting to run a virtual competition this year, while once again focusing on a social issue.
This year competitors were asked to concentrate on the UN Sustainable Development Goals by designing games around the theme Positive Action to Support Climate Change.
Teams from third level colleges competed for one of the 12 coveted titles, while Year 1 students also participated in Robocode as part of Games Fleadh 2022, the final of which was held on Wednesday March 23, 2022. This was won by Carlow IT.
The TUS Games Fleadh 2022 wins included:
Highly Commended Programming Implementation for the game Disaster Squad.
Best in User Interface Design for the game Fed Up.
Best in Game Mechanics for the game Pixie Quest.
Best in Use of Physics Algorithms also for the game Pixie Quest.
Best in Use of Artificial Intelligence also for Disaster squad.
Following the announcement of the winners on Friday, April 1st, the President of TUS, Professor Vincent Cunnane said the 2022 Games Fleadh had once again recognised the skills and talents of the country’s best student game developers.
“A huge congratulations must go to all competitors who continued to develop their skills amid the challenges of the pandemic, and their teachers, who supported them so that they are ready to take their place in this ever growing €148.8 billion industry. I would also like to acknowledge the support industry leaders have lent to this annual competition, which is indicative of TUS’s ethos of working with employers to ensure our students are at the cutting edge of this ever developing industry and therefore have the skill set to be work ready on graduation.”
Head of Department of Information Technology TUS, Dr Janice O’Connell reflected on how information technology and game development can support positive action on environmental and social issues.
“The Games Fleadh is a fantastic event which brings together the various dimensions of IT and how the application of IT can help solve and support positive action, with this year’s focus on Climate Action. The Games Fleadh highlights the wonderful and diverse career opportunities and is an excellent demonstration of the integration of industry, academia, students, future students, and the creativity and imagination of Games. We are very proud that all our IT programmes employ current state of the art technology, are industry led and provide a foundation for students for launching their career in future technology,” she stated.
Games Fleadh Organiser and Game Design & Development Degree Lecturer at TUS Dr Liam Noonan paid tribute to the international companies and national organisations that continue to support the event year on year.
“Without sponsors such as EA games and the support of games companies across Ireland, Games Fleadh would not be the success that it is every year. I would also like to acknowledge the support of the National Youth Council of Ireland this year, who’s focus on games for youth development mirrors Games Fleadh’s philosophy that gaming can be used for social, environmental and indeed positive culture change,” he stated.
A spokesperson for the National Youth Council of Ireland added,
“The National Youth Council of Ireland are delighted to be involved with the TUS Games Fleadh and support the games development competition. The NYCI STEAM in Youth Work engagement programme and the Global Youth Work programme run training courses, such as SDGames training courses, to support youth workers to use games in youth work. We focus on the use of games for development education in youth work and therefore particularly welcome that the Fleadh’s theme this year has been taken from the SDGs with a focus on positive action to support climate action.”
The prestigious County Tipperary Open Drama Festival returns to St Michael’s Community Theatre, in Holycross, Thurles again, after a lapse of two years, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Tipperary Open Drama Festival this year will run from Friday, March 18th, to Saturday, March 26th, starting nightly at 8:30pm, [except for the final night when it begins at 8:00pm, when awards will be presented].
It is also a return to centre stage for Mr Donal Duggan, who is Holycross Festival Director once again, for this prestigious festival, which has for decades attracted Ireland’s top drama Groups, staging first class plays by some of the theatre world’s most popular authors.
Having adjudicated across the length and breadth of Ireland, and having supported and nurtured a host of travelling players, Ms Anna Walker has agreed to adjudicate at this year’s Co. Tipperary Open Drama Festival, to the delight of the organisers. Ms Walker, has performed on stage, screen and television, having first trod the boards as an amateur actress with The Olivian Players, in Dublin, where she won a host of best acting awards.
Plays & Players.
Friday, March 18th, (Open), “The Beacon”, by Nancy Harris, (Ballycogley Players).
Saturday, March 19th, (Open), “The Door on the Left”, by Killian McGuinness, (Carrigallen D. G.).
Sunday, March 20th (Open),“Conversations on a Homecoming”, by Tom Murphy, (Kilmeen D. G.).
Monday, March 21st (Confined), “Little Gem”, by Elaine Murphy, (Kilrush D. G.).
Tuesday, March 22nd, (Open)“The Beauty Queen of Leenane”, by Martin McDonagh, (Brideview D. G.).
Wednesday, March 23rd, (Confined)“Quite Moment”, by Mick Finn, (Kilworth D. S.).
Thursday, March 24th, (Confined), “One flew over the Cuckoo’s nest”, by Dale Wassermann, (Mullingar D. G.).
Friday, March 25th (Open)“Brighton”, by Jim Nolan, (Skibbereen T. S.).
Saturday, March 26th, (Confined), “The Kings of Kilburn High Road”, by Jimmy Murphy (Camross D. G.)
Admission: €15 euro. Season Ticket: €70 euro. Concession: €12 euro. For further information – Tel: 086 2575159.
The Department of Health here in the Republic of Ireland has confirmed a further 1,163 new cases of Covid-19 in the past 24 hours.
The number of people in our hospitals now stands at 297, which is an increase of 11 since yesterday. Of these patients, 61 are being treated in hospital intensive care units; up a further 2 since yesterday.
Co. Tipperary now has the fourth highest vaccination rate of all 26 Irish counties, according to HSE data. The HSE further states that the amount of people over 18 years within Co. Tipperary, who has received at least one dose of vaccine, averages 97.3 % of the current population.
In Northern Ireland their Department of Health has confirmed a further 1,030 cases of coronavirus over the past 24 hours, down from 1,165 yesterday.
There were 373 patients with Covid-19 in northern hospitals on Friday, compared to 383 yesterday. The number of patients with Covid-19 in hospital intensive care units remains at 31 today.
Vaccination continues to offer the best protection against the most severe effects of COVID-19, including hospitalisation and death.
Wednesday January 6th traditionally marks the end of Christmas, with decorations gradually coming down in the days that follow. With just a few days of festive fun left and with everyone asked to stay home and stay safe, here are some last minute ideas for “Stay at Home Christmas Fun”.
View also HERE for more fun or play the video hereunder
Emoji Christmas Guessing Games
Emojis are a language all of their own and one language all teenagers are fluent in, so why not put their Emoji knowledge to the test with an Emoji Christmas Guessing Game. Say what you see and guess the Christmas Song For great emoji Christmas guessing games visit the following links, to be found HERE — HERE — HERE.
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