Crime « Thurles Information

Will Graham Norton Be Visiting Thurles & Templemore During Summer 2021 ?

Graham Norton’s book “Holding” to be adapted for television and filmed here in Ireland.

So will Mr Graham Norton be visiting Thurles & Templemore, Co. Tipperary, during the Summer of 2021 ?

County Cork born author and top television presenter has revealed that British television company ITV, has commissioned the adaptation of his novel ‘Holding’, to be made into a four-part TV series.

The book was Mr Norton’s first piece of fiction work, first published back in 2016.

The novel itself is set in the remote Irish, backwater village of Duneen, Co. Cork. Human remains, suspected to be those of local Tommy Burke, latter a former lover of two local women, are discovered on an old farm. The village’s dark past soon raises its ugly head, and it is up to the local Garda Sergeant, one Mr P.J. Collins, to solve a genuine murder case for the first time in his professional life. In doing so he manages to unearth a community’s wrath, their resentments, their secrets and regrets.

Our own much-loved town of Thurles, Co. Tipperary, gets a mention in his novel; same playing a part in bringing Garda Sgt. Collins to the remote town of Duneen, quote, “After Graduating from Templemore, he had been stationed in Thurles. He liked the job well enough. In Thurles he worked longer hours than anyone else and was always the first to volunteer for the shifts that nobody else wanted”.

The television series, ‘Holding’ will be directed by Kathy Burke and the award-winning Northern Ireland actor (two Laurence Olivier Awards and two Tony Award nominations), Conleth Hill (‘Lord Varys’ in Game of Thrones), will take on the leading role of Sergeant P.J. Collins.

The series will be filmed in Ireland this summer, with details of further casting to be released closer to the start of the production.

“Holding” by Graham Norton is published by Hodder & Stoughton and is available to purchase online from Amazon.co.uk.

Remembering Tipperary People Killed In Dublin Bombings.

Here in Co. Tipperary, we remember two victims of the Dublin bombings; both murdered in the city, forty seven years ago today.

In Dublin city three car bombs were detonated without warning, during rush hour on the 17th of May 1974.

The first victim, Miss Breda Turner, then aged just 21, was working in the Office of the Revenue Commissioners; the primary State Body responsible for the assessment and collection of taxes and other duties, here in the Republic of Ireland. Originally from Thurles, in Co. Tipperary, she had moved to Dublin and was engaged to be married on the following Easter.

Ms Turner sadly was murdered in the Parnell Street explosion. (See second picture above).

The second victim was Mrs Maureen Shields, aged 46, originally from the village of Hollyford, Co. Tipperary. Mrs Shields had moved to Dublin, where she worked in the Civil Service, until her marriage to husband Leo in 1953. The couple had one son and two daughters.

Mrs Shields, sadly, was murdered in the Talbot Street explosion. (See first picture above).

While the Dublin bombings, in 1974, were the biggest mass murder in the history of the Irish State, no one person has ever been charged with these crimes.

The Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), a loyalist paramilitary group from Northern Ireland, claimed responsibility for the bombings in 1993.

Former Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman, Baroness Nuala O’Loan (Member of House of Lords of the United Kingdom), found that Special Branch officers gave the killers immunity and ensured that the murderers were never brought to justice.

It is at this time that we also remember Mr George Bradshaw, a Tipperary victim of the Dublin bombing of the 1st of December 1972.

Mr Bradshaw, aged just 30 years, was a bus conductor from Fethard, in Co. Tipperary; one of two male victims who died when a car bomb exploded at Sackville Place, Dublin at approximately 8.15pm on that fateful day. Both victims were bus drivers with CIE and brutally murdered, having just left the nearby CIE Workers’ Club.

Mr Bradshaw had only moved to Dublin less than two years previously. Married to wife Kathleen, a nurse from Belfast; both then parents to two young children, Lynn and Rory.

In a statement today, the Government said is was fully committed to seeking out the truth behind those events and, hopefully, to secure some measure of comfort for the victim’s families and the survivors.

They further stated they would continue to develop and establish effective ways to address the legacy of the troubles, including implementation of measures agreed in the Stormont House Agreement, so as to meet the legitimate needs and expectations of all victims and survivors.

€30,000 Cannabis & €6K Cash Seized In Co. Tipperary.

Last night Cahir District Drug Unit, accompanied by the Garda Dog Unit, carried out a search on a premises in Cahir Town.

An Garda Siochana revealed that their search warrent, followed a lengthy surveillance operation.

Gardaí, during this search, seized approx €30,000 worth of Cannabis Herb, €6.000 in cash together with weighing scales and other drug dealing paraphernalia.

A male was arrested at the scene and is currently in custody.

Missing A Bicycle?

Almost 200 recovered bicycles remain unclaimed in Garda Stations nationwide.

Photos of bicycles which have been recovered by Gardaí, but are not yet returned to their owners are now available to view hereunder, categorised under each Garda Division, together with full details which allows for the owners to claim the return of their bicycle.

For County Tipperary Division – Click for pdf HERE.

For All bikes – Nationwide – Click for pdf HERE

Bike With Poor Quality Lock- How Long Will It Take To steal?

Since January 2020 to late April, 2021, a total of 6,845 bicycles have been reported stolen to An Garda Síochána.

While 70% of all bicycles were reported stolen in the Dublin Metropolitan Region, An Garda Síochána here is in Co. Tipperary, are reminding the public to take the following precautions in keeping their bicycles safe by locking them in the most secure way possible.

Only one in five owners were able to provide a serial number when reporting the theft of their bicycle to Gardaí. Despite these odds, a total of 2,139 bicycles were recovered by Gardaí throughout the above stated period.

Advice.

Spend 10% to 20% of the value of your bike on two locks.
Lock your bike tightly to an immovable object.
Keep the lock off the ground.
When storing your bike at home in a shed or garage ensure it is locked to an immovable object or another heavy item, i.e. a lawnmower.
Take a photo of your bike, note the serial number and email it back to yourself or store it on the cloud, so you have a record of it forever.