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 “If all the year were playing holidays, to sport would be as tedious as to work.” – William Shakespeare. Well here is a new and unique way to work and play holiday and both at the same time.
Starting on April 20th 2012, a totally new type of ‘Weekend Away,’ will begin taking place here in North Tipperary over the coming months, presented by Sustainable Projects Ireland Limited.
(Click on image for larger poster.)
The Cloughjordan Ecovillage Experience Weekends
Our ecosystem consists of a delicate balance between animals, plants, land, atmosphere and water. To this end it is increasingly important that we have a full understanding of these very important components, on our planet.
We need oxygen to live, yet air pollution is an ever increasing problem and not just in our big cities.
Animals are an important part of our ecosystem and many of our animals are now endangered.
Our landfills leak dangerous chemicals into the ground and our illegal dumping continues to render land useless.
Our trees and plants are needed hold to our soil together, stopping erosion.
All life needs water to live, yet water pollution is a serious problem.
Cloughjordan Eco-Experience will now offer, over a series of weekends, its visitors, a unique opportunity to learn about Green Building, Renewable Energy, Plant life and Gardening.
Over the weekends of April 20th-22nd, May 25th-27th and June 22nd-24th, Cloughjordan Eco-Experience will offer a rich opportunity for you to learn about the many aspects of sustainable living and will give all participants an opportunity to take classes in subjects like Green Building Techniques, Renewable Energy, Food Growing and understanding of Ethical & Fairtrade.
During all of these events, participents can stay on site in Django’s EcoHostel, while you take part in a range of specially prepared tours, presentations, discussions and a real hands-on learning experiences.
Come on your own or come with friends and prepare to take away great ideas and insights back to share with your own community and be assured you will receive a warm welcome in the Ecovillage and from the wider Cloughjordan community.
For further info: Contact Tel: +353 (0)505-42833 or Email: learning@thevillage.ie
 The Spiritan Congregation in Ireland will be the first Catholic male religious order internationally to undergo an audit to establish “the reality of the sexual abuse of children and minors by clergy, religious or church workers.” The Provincial Chapter state that “until a complete picture is known of past and present abuse, from within the church, there can be no possibility of authentic accountability or renewal.”
The present Provincial Leadership Team, supported by the recent Provincial Chapter, state that they believe that only a public audit of the reality of abuse committed by Spiritans can free the Congregation to continue its mission of service among God’s people here in Ireland and overseas. That mission, today, includes the Congregation’s outreach to those who were abused.
This audit, at the Spiritans’ own request, was announced on its website yesterday and will be conducted by the Catholic Church’s National Board for Safeguarding of Children. The audit is expected to take place in May of this year.
Presently the Spiritans’ manage some of the best-known schools in Ireland, e.g. Blackrock College, Willow Park, St. Michael’s College, St Mary’s College, Templeogue College and one of Co Tipperary’s top educational centres, Rockwell College, situated just outside Cashel.
 Church of Ireland schools are small by virtue of the fact that they serve small communities. With present cuts to small schools, Church of Ireland children face losing their schools and their chance to receive an education through their religious ethos.
Batt O’Keeffe, following “unpublished legal advice,” supposedly from the Attorney General, decided that grants for Second level Protestant schools ‘could not continue,’ in 2009. Failure to fund same allowed O’Keeffe to save €2.8m each year, by regularising what he called “an anomaly…whereby Catholic fee-charging schools were not getting certain state grants that were paid to others.”
This imaginary anomaly, discovered by O’Keeffe, had been first recognised and introduced by the late great Donagh O’Malley when he was establishing free education. Mr O’Malley saw the obvious need to give extra funds to minority Protestant schools, in their catering for dispersed communities, while allowing them to continue charging fees. In turn this enabled these schools to distribute a large portion of this State Aid, through grants to underprivileged students.
O’Keeffe’s move struck directly at the disadvantaged and ignored a long-standing commitment by governments to support a dispersed community, which could not access suitable free schools. It was also identified as a step backwards in respect of achieving a more pluralistic educational system. Church of Ireland schools have themselves always been models of pluralistic schools. They have successfully, harmoniously and inclusively accommodated pupils of multiple religious faiths and/or those seeking an alternative to schools under the patronage of the majority faith, for decades.
First let us see what Fine Gael stated while in opposition in 2009, beginning with Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny: “Protestant schools are being ‘got at,’ and we recognise the special position that the Protestant Church has in our society’ and I wants for that position to be maintained.” Well they are now being ‘got at,‘ again, and perhaps North Tipperary Fine Gael TD Noel Coonan might like to take that message back to Mr Kenny and Minister for Education Mr Ruairi Quinn.
Our national TV channels appear to have dismissed as insignificent, the news today, that nine Church of Ireland Bishops strongly criticised cuts to small schools, the latter which they state will have a major and destructive impact on Protestant communities right across the country of Ireland.
Continue reading Church Of Ireland Bishops Criticise School Cutbacks
 Seachtain na Gaeilge (Translated: Irish Week) is a non-profit organisation which attempts to promote the Irish language, not just here in Ireland but also abroad.
The organisation promotes events each year, over a two week period in the month of March, two weeks prior to St. Patrick’s Day.
Using the slogan “Croí na Teanga – It’s You! (Translated: Heart of the Language – It’s You!) many Irish language programmes, this past few days, were broadcast on Radio and Television and many popular shows featured short items in Irish, highlighting this two week event.
Here on Thurles.Info we also have been ‘doing our bit,’ over the past couple of days, for what is the most descriptive and beautiful of languages ever spoken.
Go to the left-hand-side of our Home Page (Under our “Categories Listings) and you will find the heading “Irish Phrase Of The Day.” By uploading a simple phrase here each day, it is our hope that students of all ages and indeed parents will attempt to memorise same, thus building their Irish language vocabulary.
Next, go to the Tag “Irish Phrases,” at the top left of our Home Page (Highlighted In the colour blue), here you will find a full list of all phrases, which have been posted to date. (Mums, Dads and Teachers please do encourage and reward those who use this facility and if you have any ideas of how we can improve, do contact us.)
Forget the spelling and grammar for the moment. Remember we all learned, as babies on our mothers knees, how to speak the English language, no one bothered with correct spelling and grammar then, we learned the vocabulary first, and later on the grammar became almost self explanatory.
So let’s start talking Irish first, one phrase at a time, after all vocabulary is the heart of our language.
 “I think that I shall never see a poem lovely as a tree.” Joyce Kilmer (1886 – 1918.)
Irish National Tree Week, organised by the Tree Council of Ireland, takes place from the 4th-10th of March 2012.
The theme for 2012 is ‘Trees – Our Past, Our Present, Our Future, ‘ and will be officially launched by the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, with a tree planting ceremony at 1200 noon in Ardee, Co. Louth.
Here in Tipperary, residents are being prompted to plant more trees and are being asked to spare a thought and indeed celebrate our remarkable heritage of beautiful trees and woodlands here in the county.
Do recognise the significance of our trees and forests as being a living link to our past, an enjoyable and life-enhancing asset in the present time and of course a wise investment in our future.
No fewer than fifteen known events are taking place in Tipperary as part of this National Tree Week.
National Tree Week Events Being Held In Tipperary
Event (1): The Johnny Mc Carthy Woodturning exhibition.
Venue: Bookworm Workshop, Liberty Square, Thurles.
Dates: 4th – 17th March. Organising Body: Johnny Mc Carthy Woodturning.
Contact: Johnny Mc Carthy, Tel: 086 8326369.
Continue reading National Tree Week Begins In Tipperary
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