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Funeral Blues

Funeral Blues by the late British-American poet W.H. Auden (1907 – 1973).

W. H. Auden’s “Funeral Blues”, (Also known as “Stop all the clocks,” a reference to its first line), is a powerful poem that captures the overwhelming grief of losing a loved one.
It first appearing in a 1936 play W. H. Auden and Christopher Isherwood called “The Ascent of F6”. The poem was later substantially rewritten and published in its familiar form in 1938.

Through commanding language, stark imagery, and a movement from everyday surroundings to the wider universe, Auden portrays a speaker whose loss feels so immense that time, nature, and society itself should come to an immediate halt.
The poem ultimately explores how bereavement can transform a once-meaningful world into one that seems almost empty and without hope.

Funeral Blues
(Read here by award winning English character actor Simon Callow.)

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.

Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling on the sky the message ‘He is Dead’.
Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves,
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.

He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last forever: I was wrong.

The stars are not wanted now; put out every one,
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun,
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood;
For nothing now can ever come to any good.

END.

Traffic Notice – Streets of Thurles 5K Road Race.

The Thurles Crokes A.C. Streets of Thurles 5K Road Race will take place on Sunday, 16th August 2026, from 10:00am to 11:30am.

Traffic Notice and Route: Streets of Thurles 5K Road Race.

Traffic restrictions and diversions will be in place throughout Thurles town for the duration of this popular event.
Motorists should expect delays and are advised to allow extra time for their journeys or use alternative routes where possible.

Thank you for your patience and cooperation.

Thurles-Linked Pop Icon Boy George Releases New Song, We Will Dance Again.

International pop star Boy George, whose paternal family has strong connections with Thurles, Co. Tipperary has released a new song titled “We Will Dance Again”.

The Culture Club frontman; born George Alan O’Dowd in England, has spoken warmly about his Irish background. In a 2013 Hot Press interview, he said his father’s relatives were from Thurles, adding that his family visited Ireland regularly during his childhood.

**George Alan O’Dowd** – **Boy George**.

His new pop-reggae song was posted to X and Instagram under both its English title and the Hebrew title עוד נרקוד (Od Nirkod). Its central message supports Israel and Jewish communities following the Hamas-led attack of October 7th 2023.

The song refers particularly to the attack on the Nova music festival, where 344 civilians and 34 members of the security services were killed and 44 people were taken hostage. Its title adopts a phrase that became an expression of hope and resilience among Israelis following the massacre.

In the song, Boy George rejects allegations of genocide against Israel, characterises its military campaign as a response to the Hamas attack and declares: “I stand with the Jews.” He also criticises musicians and activists whom he believes have condemned Israel without adequately acknowledging the events of October 7th.

The release has generated sharply divided reactions. Supporters have praised Boy George for confronting antisemitism and remembering the Nova victims, while critics say the song disregards the enormous Palestinian death toll and the findings of UN inquiries concerning Israel’s conduct in Gaza. Israel rejects allegations that it has committed genocide.

Boy George is not Jewish but has frequently spoken about his affinity with Jewish people and his determination to support Jewish friends and communities. He has also said that this support does not mean he lacks compassion for Palestinians or agrees with everything happening in Israel.

For Thurles readers, the release carries an additional local point of interest; one of Britain’s most distinctive pop performers has openly identified the town as part of his extended O’Dowd family story.

I’ve Been This Way Before.

Lyrics and Vocals: Written and performed by American singer-songwriter Neil Diamond (Neil Leslie Diamond).

Neil Diamond’s song,“I’ve Been This Way Before” is a reflective song about the recurring nature of human experience. The singer has most certainly known success, but also rejection, doubt, happiness and pain, and recognises that these emotional cycles will return. This realisation gives him resilience. Neither praise nor hardship is permanent, so he can accept both without being defined by either.
His lyrics may also perhaps carry a spiritual meaning. References to having travelled this path before and encountering familiar souls again, can suggest reincarnation, an afterlife, or a deeper connection that survives death. Listeners commonly describe the song as spiritual and hopeful, particularly in relation to bereavement and reunion.

Released on his 1974 album “Serenade”, “I’ve Been This Way Before” is a deeply contemplative song about resilience, spiritual recognition and the repeating patterns of life. Diamond’s narration arrives at a calm understanding; every experience passes, yet each may return in another form. The song perhaps invites us to face life’s changing fortunes with humility and hope, and perhaps to believe that the people and connections we once treasured are never entirely lost.

I’ve Been This Way Before.

I’ve seen the light,
And I’ve seen the flame,
And I’ve been this way before,
And I’m sure to be this way again.
For I’ve been refused,
And I’ve been regained,
And I’ve seen your eyes before,
And I’m sure to see your eyes again,
Once again.
For I’ve been released,
And I’ve been regained,
And I’ve sung my song before,
And I’m sure to sing my song again.
Once again.
Some people got to laugh.
Some people got to cry.
Some people got to make it through,
By never wondering why.
Some people got to sing.
Some people got to sigh.
Some people they never see the light,
Until the day they die,
But I’ve been released,
And I’ve been regained,
And I’ve been this way before,
And I’m sure to be this way again,
Once again.
One more time again.
Just one more time.

END.

Play For Your Parish – And Help Raise The Roof.

This August, the fairways of Thurles Golf Club will become the setting for something far greater than a round of golf.

From Tuesday, 18th August to Friday, 21st August 2026, golfers from across County Tipperary and the Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly are invited to gather in friendship, rivalry and common purpose for the Thurles Lions Club Golf Classic 2026.

At the heart of the event stands one of Thurles’s most treasured landmarks: the magnificent Cathedral of the Assumption.

Construction of the Cathedral began in 1865, and it was consecrated in 1879. For almost a century and a half, its towers, domes and sacred spaces have watched over generations; marking baptisms, weddings, funerals, feast days and countless moments in the life of the community.
Now, as the Cathedral approaches its 150th anniversary in 2029, its roof requires major replacement. The wider fundraising campaign is working to secure the future of this much-loved building, described by Thurles Parish as more than stone and mortar, but a place of faith, memory and community that must be preserved for generations still to come.

Thurles Lions Club has committed to raising €50,000 over four years in support of that mission, and the upcoming Golf Classic is one of the central events in that effort.

The People To Chat To:-
L-R: Lions Club member Mr William McDonagh and Lions Club President Ms Mary Slattery.

A golf competition with parish pride at stake.
Teams of three players are invited to enter, with every team competing for the Thurles Lions Club Golf Classic Trophy and a share of an overall prize fund of approximately €2,000.

But this is no ordinary golf classic.
Parish teams will also have the opportunity to compete for two special perpetual trophies:
The Tipperary Parishes Trophy, sponsored by Thurles Lions Club.
The Cashel and Emly Trophy, sponsored by Archbishop Kieran O’Reilly.

To represent a parish, each member of the team must either live in that parish or have grown up there.
A parish may enter as many teams as it wishes. The two best team results from each parish will be combined to determine its overall score—opening the door to friendly rivalry, local bragging rights and, perhaps, a little parish history.

► Who will carry the honour of their community?
► Who will hold their nerve over the closing holes?
► Which parish will return home with the trophy?

Event Details:

Date: 18th – 21st August 2026.
Venue: Thurles Golf Club.
Teams: Teams of three.
Cost: €210 per team, including green fees and a meal.
Prizes: Approximately €2,000 in prizes plus Trophies.

Thurles Golf Club provides a fitting stage for the occasion: a mature parkland course known for its peaceful surroundings, welcoming atmosphere and strong playing conditions.

Book Your Team Now.

To register, contact Mr William McDonagh of Thurles Lions Club:- 📞 086 379 7881
Email: thurleslionsgolfclassic@gmail.com

Note: Payment may be made when the team checks in at Thurles Golf Club on the day of play.

Businesses, organisations and individuals can also support the event through tee-box sponsorship for €100. Parish teams are encouraged to seek local sponsorship and bring their wider communities into the campaign.

This is an opportunity to play for your parish—but also to play for heritage, remembrance and the generations who will one day walk through the Cathedral doors.

Four summer days.
Three players per team.
One great community cause.
Great golf. Great cause. Great community.
Support. Play. Make a difference.