Tipperary residents and visitors are being advised to prepare for unsettled weather, with heavy rain and thunderstorms forecast this weekend.
Met Éireann has issued a nationwide weather advise, valid from 3am on Sunday, 30th August, until 3am on Monday, 31st August 2026.
Heavy showers and longer spells of rain are expected to spread from the southwest on Saturday night and become widespread during Sunday. Some areas may experience torrential downpours, thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds.
Although the most severe conditions are expected to be localised and intermittent, surface water and localised flooding are possible. Road users should allow additional travel time and exercise particular care in areas affected by heavy rainfall.
The weather is expected to remain unsettled into next week, with further rain, occasionally heavy showers and breezy conditions.
The public should continue to monitor updates from Met Éireann and Tipperary County Council.
A midge-borne livestock virus previously reported mainly in Africa and Japan has now reached Europe.
During summer 2026, the Shamonda virus; or a closely related European variant, was identified in cattle in France, Germany, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, the Netherlands and Austria. Scientists expect further spread to be possible while blood-feeding Culicoides midges* remain active.
* A Culicoides midge is a tiny biting fly, usually only 1–3 millimetres long. Female midges feed on the blood of cattle and other animals and can carry viruses from one animal to another, much like mosquitoes. They are especially active during warm, damp conditions and around dusk; some species transmit livestock diseases such as Shamonda and the already identified bluetongue virus.
Plausible routes for entry into Europe include infected midges being transported long distances by wind or inadvertently through trade and transport, or the movement of an infected animal.
In adult cattle, infection generally causes short-lived illness, including: High fever. Diarrhoea and appetite loss. Lethargy. A sudden, sometimes severe, reduction in milk yield.
Although most adult cattle appear to recover, affected dairy farms could face lost production, veterinary expenses and additional monitoring costs. The greatest concern involves pregnant animals. The virus can cross the placenta and has been detected in aborted bovine foetuses in Switzerland. Shamonda and related viruses may cause abortion, stillbirth or calves with serious limb, spinal and brain abnormalities when infection occurs during a vulnerable stage of pregnancy. Researchers are still determining how frequently this happens with the European variant.
The virus is thought to spread mainly through biting midges; not through ordinary direct contact between cattle. There is currently no specific treatment or vaccine, although sick animals can receive supportive veterinary care. Reducing exposure to midges may lower the risk but cannot provide complete protection.
Farmers should watch closely for clusters of fever, diarrhoea or abrupt milk loss and contact their veterinarian immediately. Early blood sampling is important because the virus may remain detectable in adult cattle for only a short time. Abortions, stillbirths and malformed calves should also be investigated.
There is currently no evidence that Shamonda virus causes disease in humans. It has not been identified as a food-safety threat from milk or meat.
The situation is evolving, and the virus’s origin, complete geographic distribution and long-term reproductive impact remain uncertain. Farmers should follow updates from their veterinarian and national animal-health authority rather than relying on social-media rumours.
Households across County Tipperary are being asked to continue conserving water after Uisce Éireann extended the Water Conservation Order until the end of September.
The nationwide hosepipe ban was introduced on 24 July following an extended period of hot, dry weather, increased demand and mounting pressure on public water supplies. Although improving conditions mean the restrictions will end in 13 counties at 11.59pm on 26 August, Tipperary is among 13 counties where supplies need additional time to recover. RTÉ News
Under the order, households in Tipperary must not use hosepipes for non-essential activities such as watering gardens, washing private vehicles or filling swimming and paddling pools.
Uisce Éireann said water sources in parts of southern and eastern Ireland remain under strain. Continuing the restrictions will help safeguard supplies for homes, businesses, farms, hospitals, vulnerable customers and other essential services.
The ban has also been extended in Carlow, Cork, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Limerick, Meath, Offaly, Waterford, Wexford and Wicklow.
Uisce Éireann thanked communities for reducing unnecessary water use, saying public cooperation has already lowered demand and helped protect essential supplies. However, customers in Tipperary are being urged to maintain those efforts, as every drop saved will support the recovery of local water sources.
A garden hose or sprinkler used for one hour can consume more water than an average family uses during an entire day. Residents can help by taking shorter showers, repairing leaks, running washing machines and dishwashers only when full, and using watering cans instead of hoses.
The Stench of Neglect: River Suir in Thurles Suffocates in Waste.
A Waterway Left to Fester: Apparent Pollution, Institutional Neglect and an Inexcusable Failure to Act.
The early images in the video immediately below are visually consistent with sewage-contaminated water, inadequately treated wastewater, detergent-bearing grey-water, or another organic effluent. The foam could indicate surfactants, while the grey colour and sludge may indicate suspended solids and decomposing organic matter. It does not resemble clean surface-water run-off.
However, a photograph alone cannot conclusively identify the slowly flowing substance in a river now almost static. Proper investigation should include samples from the suspected discharge point and locations upstream and downstream. Relevant analyses include dissolved oxygen, BOD, COD, ammonia, orthophosphate, suspended solids, E. coli, conductivity and surfactants. EPA material confirms that BOD, dissolved oxygen, ammonia, nitrate and phosphorus are central indicators of organic contamination, and that pollution-incident sampling should cover downstream, discharge-point and upstream locations.EPA sampling procedure
This slide-show above, however, presents a disgusting and deeply alarming picture; grey, foaming liquid and foul-looking sludge accumulating in what should be a living watercourse. Its exact composition must now be determined by laboratory testing, but its visible condition is wholly incompatible with the clean, healthy river environment the public is entitled to expect.
This river is neither a sewer nor a dumping ground. If analysis confirms an unlawful discharge, its source must be stopped, the damage remediated and every available enforcement power used.
Continued neglect after documented notification would be indefensible, a betrayal of the waterway, its wildlife and the community these authorities and representatives are supposed to serve.
Reminder
We can confirm that the above public meeting will take place, as stated above.
Thirteen years of warnings As stated in a recent post on Thurles.Info, the deterioration of the River Suir cannot credibly be described as “sudden” or “unforeseeable”. For more than a decade, residents, anglers and environmental campaigners have raised concerns about pollution, excessive vegetation, restricted flow, sediment, litter and neglect. These concerns were documented in “River Suir Crisis—Thirteen Years of Warnings, But Still No Coordinated Action”.
Now, 13 yearslater; the Minister of State Mr Kevin “Boxer” Moran recently visited sections of the Suir in Thurles and Holycross following representations from Independent TD Michael Lowry. It was stated that the Office of Public Works would support an application by Tipperary County Council under the enhanced Minor Flood Mitigation Works Scheme. However, I can confirm from recent discussions with varying responsible bodies, that they are not aware of any recent communication. Support for an application is welcome, but it is not a restoration programme. The public has not been shown the precise work proposed, the scientific evidence supporting it, the environmental assessments required, the anticipated cost and timetable or the body responsible for delivery and monitoring.
Political videos, visits and announcements by politicians and councillors cannot substitute for accountable work. Councillor Micheál Lowry, Deputy Michael Lowry and every other representative addressing the issue must be judged by measurable results. The same standard must apply to Tipperary County Council officials. [ Which begs the question; “Where were all the other local elected councillors when a recent promotional video, capturedby Mr Lowry TD, was uploaded unto social media.” ]
The missing ingredient for the River Suir is not more talk, it is delivery.We need clear answers:
► What works will be carried out? ► When will they begin? ► Who is responsible for delivery? ► Has the funding application now been submitted? ► What section of the river will be prioritised first? ► How will pollution and damaging discharges be reduced? ► How will progress be measured and reported publicly?
Government leaders are considering whether to recall the Dáil ahead of schedule as renewed instability in the Middle East raises concerns about fuel prices.
Temporary excise reductions introduced in April are due to be withdrawn gradually from September. The relief amounts to 32 cent per litre of diesel and 27 cent per litre of petrol and formed part of a €750 million package of business supports and cost-of-living measures.
Enterprise Minister Mr Peter Burke indicated that the timetable is being actively reassessed. The international outlook has worsened since the withdrawal schedule was agreed, with developments around the Strait of Hormuz contributing to uncertainty in global energy markets.
The Dáil is currently scheduled to return on September 16th next,. however, an earlier sitting may be required if the Government decides that legislation is needed to postpone the planned excise increases. Rising costs are already placing additional pressure on agriculture and the wider economy. The net price of marked gas oil, commonly known as green diesel, has increased from about 94 cent to €1.24 per litre, a rise of approximately 30%. Any extension of the fuel-tax relief would also have budgetary implications. The Government is preparing an overall Budget 2027 package worth more than €8 billion, including €1.5 billion for income-tax measures and an anticipated spending increase of around 6%.
Ministers are also examining ways to lower grocery prices by reducing transport, production and distribution costs. Because fuel expenses affect farming, manufacturing and the movement of goods, further increases could feed through to prices paid by consumers.
No final decision has been made on either the excise timetable or an early Dáil recall. Both options remain under consideration as the Government monitors international developments and prices at Irish fuel pumps.
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