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 Mr Francis Burke (Organising Secretary of “Save Our Local Community”), reports.
A new organisation, made up of members of the farming community, various businesses and householders, have recently come together to form a new organisation entitled “Save Our Local Community”. This organisation have now called a public meeting for Thursday evening next; with crime investigative journalist Mr Paul Williams as acting Chairperson.
This meeting is expected to discuss in detail criminal acts and their possible solutions to an unprecedented wave of rural crime which has hit the communities in and around the Thurles area and indeed the county of Tipperary as a whole, particularly over the past year.
Time and Place of Meeting
Note: As already stated this meeting will take place on Thursday next, October 8th, in the Anner Hotel, Dublin Road, Thurles, beginning at 8:00pm sharp. While everyone is invited to attend, the actual victims of recent crimes are particularly welcome and will be given a voice, and; while Councillors and Politicians are also welcome to attend; same are being asked to take on the role as that of ‘listener’, rather than ‘speaker’.
Organising Secretary of “Save Our Local Community”, Mr Francis Burke stated that both he and his colleagues are adamant that this summoned public meeting should in no way be mistaken as a criticism of our valued, dedicated local police force, rather it should be observed as a failure by authorities to provide the necessary resources to protect our rural communities.
Amongst those expected to attend this event will be Assistant Garda Commissioner Mr Jack Nolan, Chief Superintendent Catherine Kehoe and other available members of An Garda Síochána.
 Jail terms, ranging from 12 to 20 years, were imposed today on seven Dublin men. All the accused admitted to carrying out an aggravated burglary some two years ago, in November 2013, at the home of Emma and Mark Corcoran and their three young daughters, at Burnchurch, near Killenaule in Co Tipperary.
The seven convictions were handed down today at Clonmel Circuit Court shortly before 12 noon, by Mr Justice Thomas Teehan, who described the effects of the burglary on the Corcoran family as “catastrophic”.
All defendants were in receipt of free legal aid and despite their admission of guilt previously, these men each were represented by a Senior Counsel, a Junior Counsel and a Solicitor representing their cases; all paid for by the Irish State, with costs ultimately being passed on to the Irish taxpayer.
The seven men, who had previously admitted carrying out this aggravated burglary; together with their individual sentences passed down by Mr Justice Thomas Teehan, are named hereunder:-
Michael McDonagh, aged 23, of Tara Lawns, Belcamp Lane, Coolock, Dublin 17, (who was the only defendant with no previous convictions), was sentenced to 12 years, with seven of those years suspended.
Donal O’Hara, aged 22, of Glin Park, Coolock, Dublin 17, who received a sentenced of 12 years, with seven suspended.
Patrick Joyce, aged 23, of Beaumont Hall, Beaumont Woods, Dublin 9, who was given a sentence of 14 years, with four years suspended.
Thomas Flynn, aged 21, of Moatview Avenue, Coolock, Dublin 17, who was sentenced to 12 years, with three years suspended.
John Joyce, aged 21, of Lentisk Lawn, Donaghmede, Dublin, was sentenced to 15 years, with four years suspended.
Patrick Gately, aged 28, of Primrose Grove, Darndale, Dublin 17, was also sentenced to 20 years, with four years suspended for 10 years.
Dean Byrne, aged 22, of Cabra Park, Dublin 17, who was given a sentence of 20 years, with four years suspended, backdated from November 21st 2013.
Also deployed at Clonmel Courthouse were two sections of the Garda Armed Response Unit; together with a number of other Gardaí, all present as an extra security measure.
Following sentencing the seven male defendants were led from the court in handcuffs; showing little remorse, but rather joking and smiling, while one blew kisses at the waiting media.
A statement read on behalf of Mr and Mrs Corcoran, following today’s sentencing, thanked their local community of Burnchurch and Killenaule, Judge Teehan and the efforts of Thurles Gardaí, both during and after the committed aggravated burglary.
The question must now surely be asked “Should known / recognised career criminals be granted full, free Legal Aid; particularly in cases where the offence has been previously admitted?”
 Tipperary Independent TD Deputy Michael Lowry has this week criticised the long delayed Government initiative on a stimulus package to regenerate Rural Ireland.
“Labour Minister Ann Phelan has been Minister with specific responsibility for Rural Development for almost 5 years. We hardly knew she existed, but hey presto a couple of months before an election she comes out of her slumber with a whopper of an empty promise”, stated the Deputy.
“Since this Government was elected, all we have heard is aspirational statements and hot air. This most recent announcement is a paltry €30m pre-election gimmick.
Minister Ann Phelan has the audacity to allocate €4m of this same fund to her own constituency of Carlow/Kilkenny; leaving just €26m for the rest of the country. The kind of schemes covered under the new proposal, such as renovation of old buildings and improving local amenities are already covered under the terms of Leader Group and National Lottery Funding. The real issue faced our rural communities is that funding available to Leader in Tipperary has been cut by €15 m. It’s ironic that the person who presided over that €15m cut is one and same Minister Allen Kelly,” Mr Lowry continued.
“The root cause of the crisis in rural Ireland is the lack of job opportunity for young people. Thousands of our young people have had to emigrate, forced to leave home, leave their families, friends and community. Parents are denied the privilege of being close to their loved ones, denied the gift of seeing them mature into adulthood. There are many issues as a consequence of this emigration. Fewer houses being built, no work for builders and tradesmen, fewer children being born, schools losing numbers; putting teachers jobs at risk, with small rural schools facing closure. We then have small shops, post offices and Garda Stations being shut down. We also face the prospect, due to a shortage of priests; of parish clustering with major implications for our rural churches and hence reduced social contact”, stated Mr Lowry.
“Emigration has had a massive impact on local communities and in particular sports clubs. Many GAA soccer and Rugby teams have been decimated by the flight of its younger members. The government and the national agencies have done nothing to correct the imbalance between city and rural regeneration. Access to a proper broadband service and information technology is a huge disadvantage. It is impossible for country towns to attract industry as it has little prospect of competing against the city locations that have the entire necessary infrastructure already in place. The IDA should immediately construct advance factories in places like Tipperary. It is inevitable that when a Company decides to set up business it will make a decision on the location based on a ready to go turnkey facility”, continued Mr Lowry.
Deputy Lowry also stated, “We now have a two speed economy – one for Dublin and one for the rest, operating in a fast and slow lane. The closure of Garda Stations has left older people in particular, feeling vulnerable at a time when city crime gangs are roaming rural communities causing fear and anxiety. This feeling of isolation is made worse by no local transport, which makes it impossible for people to socialise”.
 Thurles Gardaí today are warning the public to beware of a ‘telephone scam’ in which persons are being encouraged to part with their private personal data, as part of an overall bogus security call.
Voice Phishing or Vishing
Voice phishing, sometimes referred to as “Vishing” (The word is a combination of “voice” and “phishing”) happens when criminals / fraudsters deceive people into providing personal information, which they then attempt to use later to commit fraud.
The “Vishing” conversation between you (the victim) and the scam artist / fraudster, (the criminal) will basically take on the following format.
(A) You, a member of the public, receive a telephone call to your land-line from an unknown individual who will most likely claim to be a security person from a well-known department store.
(B) the members of the public will be asked to provide personal financial details, as part of the conversation.
(C) When you decline to give required details requested, (Which you, without exception, should always do regardless) the incoming caller politely advises the member of the public to either contact their financial institution, using the telephone number on the reverse of their genuine card, or alternatively to contact the local Gardaí and provide the required information to them. Note: You may also be advised by the fraudster of the name of the local Garda Superintendent, thus appearing to legitimize the need for you to provide your personal financial details.
(D) You, the victim, then hang up and assume you are now phoning back either the bank or the Gardaí as per instructed by the fraudster.
(E) However the original call, connecting you, has never been fully terminated by them and you the victim will end up disclosing your personal banking details to the fraudster or his / her accomplice, who has remained connected to your outgoing telephone line.
Please everyone, do keep in mind that no truly genuine person or representative from any organisation will ever call and seek your personal, private details or other data, either over the phone or by email contact.
Reminder: Thurles Garda Station – Open Day Saturday, September 26th, 2015
Thurles Gardaí would also like to remind the general public that tomorrow (Saturday, September 26th, 2015) the Thurles Station are holding an ‘Open Day‘, to which all are invited to attend between the hours 2:00pm and 5:00pm. This ‘Open Day’ event will grant the observer a more intimate knowledge of the everyday workings of An Garda Síochána in our local community, while also serving as useful to second level and third level students, who may be planning a future career, as a member of Ireland’s much valued police force.
Fine Gael’s Justice Minister Mrs Frances Fitzgerald, speaking recently at a graduation ceremony in the Garda Training College, Templemore, Co. Tipperary, announced that at least 500 extra Gardaí will be recruited in 2016. This news comes amidst urgent calls from the public to increase Garda numbers, particularly in rural areas, in an attempt to clamp down on crime, often carried out in the knowledge that present Garda personnel and resources are somewhat thin on the ground nationwide.
Since 2008 and over the following five-year period, during which there were no new recruits added to An Garda Síochána, it is believed that as many as 30,000 people have expressed an interest in joining the force. If Minister Fitzgerald is correct in her recent forecast; competition for future places as career members of An Garda Síochána are likely to be vigorously challenged.
 Pictured here at the Thurles Community Policing Seminar held in St Patricks College. Thurles, last January 2015 were (L – R) Garda Annette Connolly, Mr Frank Flanagan (Clonmel), Garda Jacinta Phelan, Ms Kathleen Wright (Thurles) and Garda Regina McCarthy. Thurles Garda Station – Open Day Saturday, September 26th, 2015
On Saturday, September 26th, 2015 next, the Garda Station here in Thurles are holding an ‘Open Day’, to which all are invited to attend between the hours 2:00pm and 5:00pm.
The purpose of this ‘Open Day’ is to allow adults and their families to visit Thurles Garda Station; to view at first hand the often difficult and painstaking work undertaken daily by our local police force.
This planned afternoon programme of events, co-ordinated by Garda Annette Connolly (pictured left above), will see off duty police return to Thurles station, thus giving up their valued personal time to participate in this event.
The afternoon programme of events will include: Face Painting and Colouring Competitions to entertain the younger members of our community. For our adults and those planning to join the force possibly sometime in the future, there will be an ideal opportunity to view at first hand live demonstrations of how our Garda Dog Unit work e.g. sniffing out explosive substances, drugs and also working with our Garda Public Order Units etc.
Members of the Regional Response Unit, Drugs Unit and Traffic Unit, together with those involved in crime scene finger printing will also be on hand to explain their specialist detection work. So too will be available ample information from officers dealing everyday with ‘Crime Prevention’, ‘Thurles Text Alert’, and the ‘Know your Patch Garda Information’ sections, latter three of which I hasten to add, most of us are often slow to implement, until we experience personal difficulties within our homes, factories and other businesses.
Also present on the afternoon of September 26th next will be our Fire Brigade and Ambulance services. Latter will perform a live demonstration of what they encounter when a motor vehicle is involved in a serious accident, so often brought about by speeding on our roads. (Note: An actual crashed car will be used in this latter ‘true to life’ demonstration, so often shielded thankfully from our public gaze.)
This ‘Open Day’ event on September 26th next will not only grant the observer a more intimate knowledge of the everyday workings of An Garda Síochána in our local community, but will also serve useful to second level and third level students, who may be planning a future career, as a member of Ireland’s much valued police force.
Our congratulation to all involved and Thurles.Info will be reminding our readers about this event closer to the scheduled date.
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