Environment « Thurles Information

€30 Million Road Project Approved for Thurles To Nenagh Road.

€30 Million realignment project has finally received approval for the R498, an area situated between Thurles and Nenagh.

The R498 realignment will take place in the Latteragh area between Thurles and Nenagh.
Funding of €20 million approved for civil works.
€4 million already allocated for design, consultancy, and land compensation.

Tipperary County Council has confirmed that a major road improvement project for the R498 is now set to proceed.

The scheme, with estimated costings of some €30 million, is expected to deliver significant safety upgrades through the realignment of a section of the R498 route close to Latteragh. The Department of Transport has approved €20 million in funding to appoint a civil works contractor, who is expected to undertake a two-year programme necessary to complete the works.

**R498 Thurles to Nenagh Road , Co. Tipperary.**

This funding is in addition to some €4 million which has already been set aside to cover design fees, consultancy services, and compensation payable to landowners, affected by the Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) process. Compensation offers issued to all landowners, have been accepted by some, with the remainder under negotiation with valuers.

The existing R498 at Latteragh is a single carriageway, 4.3km in length, which follows the contours around the Latteragh hills, adjacent to the meandering Nenagh River. These bends have led to the road having a sub-standard cross-section resulting in numerous vehicle collisions in the past.
The scheme is located approximately 7km south-east of the M7 Nenagh Bypass and as stated, involves the improvement of approximately 4.3km of the existing R498 route.

A shared footway/cycle track is proposed along the length of the scheme, utilising sections of the old road alignment and within the proposed verge along one side of the road, which will have a design speed of 85km/h.
The existing three junctions are being improved as part of the scheme, with the provision of a right/left staggered ghost island junction at each junction.
There are also two single span bridge crossings over the Nenagh River with reinforced soil construction proposed for the wing-walls.

Some advance works have already been undertaken since last year, which included fencing and site clearance, along with archaeological investigations.

This project will be seen to represents a major investment in road safety and regional infrastructure, with the realignment of this section addressing long-standing safety concerns and providing a modern, reliable transport link between Thurles and Nenagh.

EcoVision-Thurles Retrofit Expo The Dome Thurles, Co.Tipperary.

EcoVision- Thurles Retrofit Expo-“The Dome”, Nenagh Road, Thurles, Co. Tipperary. Thursday August 28th 2025 – 2:00PM until 4:00pm.

Have you thought about energy upgrades for your house, business or within your community?

Ms Jane Ryan (Community Energy Coordinator) Reports:-

EcoVision brings the Retrofit Information Expo to The Dome, Thurles, Co. Tipperary on Thursday August 28th from 2:00pm-4:00pm.

This event will have industry experts available to answer any questions on retrofitting, grants and finance, and tips on saving money and improving your property. This is a free event.
EcoVision is a Community Led Cooperative Retrofit One Stop Shop that started in Drombane, Upperchurch, Thurles 10 years ago. As a not-for-profit organisation, they help and guide property owners to identify the right energy options that will suit the home or business owner best and help access the grants and funding that are applicable. They work with local contractors to provide a service based on quality and ensuring a smooth and successful experience for each client.

The Mount Lucas Retrofit Rig will also be on hand at the event to deliver training on energy upgrades and retrofitting and allow you to learn about energy saving and the benefits of retrofitting, improving comfort and saving money. You can see ,at first-hand, a heat pump in action, discuss different types of solar panels, different insulation options that are available and experience some of processes using a virtual experience. The initiative aims to enhance general energy awareness and provide hands on training on energy efficiency and retrofitting techniques, focusing on Nearly Zero Energy Buildings (NZEB) with schools, contractors, homeowners and businesses.

SEAI, Sustainable Energy Authority Ireland, will be at the event to talk about available grants and how to help communities get started on their energy journeys. Businesses and homeowners will be able to get information on the Better Energy Communities Scheme, which offers grant funding of up to 30% for a business and up to 50% for homeowners for measures like insulation, heat pumps, ventilations, LED lighting, and solar PV.

If you are the owner of a vacant or derelict home/business we will have advisors available to help with grant funding and contractors to answer queries on your projects. This really is a one stop shop for anyone who is considering any energy upgrades in the next couple of years, so we hope to see you there.

For more information or if you would like to exhibit at the event, please contact :-
Email –Jane@ecovision.ie – Mobile Tel. No: 087 347 2059 – Office Tel: No. 067 61031 – Website www.ecovision.ie

This event is supported by POBAL. The Community Retrofit Coordination project is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the EU Just Transition Fund Programme 2021-2027

Ode To River Suir, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

“Ode To River Suir, Thurles”

Poem by Michael Bannon, Littleton, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

**In less than half a mile of the river bank, some 28 assorted drainage pipes now dump their contents into the River Suir in Thurles town centre.**

“Ode To River Suir, in Thurles”

From clear mountain fountains your waters begin,
Through Tipperary’s fields, where the sunlight shines in.
From Clonmel to Waterford, proud is your lore,
Your song will be carried forever and more.

From high on the hillside you wander in grace,
Through towns and through counties you leave your embrace,
From Thurles to Waterford, strong is your lore,
Your story will echo forever and more.

The fisherman casts out his line,
The heron waits, the sunlight shines,
The bridges span wide where the townspeople go,
You’ve carried their stories, through sunshine and woe.

But today in your waters the dark stains are seen,
The plastics and waste, where that bright flow had been,
Yet still you keep moving, though wounded and sore,
We’ll fight for your freedom, to forever restore.

Your waters, once sparkling, now carry the pain,
Of plastics and shadows that darken your name,
Yet hope in the future will see you run clear,
We’ll cherish and heal you, my own River Suir.

Now rubbish and poison are clouding your flow,
The bright silver waters are struggling to glow,
But still you keep moving, so steady, so sure,
Time to stand up and guard you, to forever endure.

END

LAWPRO To Discuss River Suir, Thurles Co. Tipperary.

As part of 2025 National Heritage Week a ‘walk and talk‘ event will take place here in Thurles, Co. Tipperary, on Monday evening next, August 18th.
Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO) officials will hold this event on the banks of the River Suir, initially commencing in front of “The Source” building, at 6:30pm sharp.
As part of this event, LAWPRO officials will explore the rivers history and its significance to the town of Thurles.
LAWPRO was set up in 2016 (Nine years ago) as a shared service on behalf of the 31 Local Authorities in Ireland. The Programme operates nationally out of 13 different Local Authority centres. LAWPRO is supposed to be driving public engagement, participation and consultation with communities and stakeholders at local level via its Communities Team; while delivering a programme of catchment assessment in priority areas for action via its Catchment Science Team and coordinating these activities across the relevant public sector via five Regional Operational Committees.

**It has not rained in Thurles during the last 48 hours, yet today water and litter continues to flow from street drainage pipes into the river.**
*Pic: George Willoughby.*

We are informed that LAWPRO scientists will discuss the water quality within the river Suir and carry out a ‘kick sample‘*.

* Kick Sampling; Scientists can examine the amount of macro-invertebrates by kick sampling. Macro-invertebrates are the small aquatic animals such as insect larva, snails, worms, beetles etc. all of which are excellent indicators of water quality.
Where a river is unpolluted these are to be found in abundance. Where a river has excessive amounts of nutrients and other pollutants, the numbers and types of macro-invertebrates are usually lower and many of the rare and sensitive species are therefore absent.

Thurles.Info has continuously, over the past twelve years, raised this same issue (first on November 7th, 2013, in relation to the River Suir).

In September 2024 we were informed, 11 years later, following a video posted on Thurles.Info, on August 17th last, that a biologist, Mr Fran Igoe, a spokesperson representing the Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO) has agreed that what is happening in Thurles and the river Suir is ‘shocking‘.
Mr Igoe (LAWPRO) one year ago stated that test results, now show that while one should expect to find a broad range of aquatic insects and bugs, he could only find two species in our town’s river.

One year on, (the above video first published on August 17th 2024) despite promises, nothing has changed.

Last September 2044, the public were informed that LAWPRO, alone, would be drawing up a plan of action which would involve input from all the relevant bodies within a 6 month time span to produce an agreed action plan. At that stage they would apply for funding to carry out all recommendations in this soon to be completed report.
One year on, as far as the public is concerned, – silence – nothing – except the cutting of reeds, twice this year already, latter destroying Mother Nature’s method of cleaning badly polluted water.
One must now assume that if only two species of aquatic insects and bugs reside here, then lack of funding must be the excuse for having to tolerate this deplorable state of our river.

If funding is the problem, where are our out of touch Tipperary elected TD’s namely Alan Kelly, Michael Lowry and Ryan O’Meara, latter two who enjoy offices within Thurles town and all three who enjoy speaking rights in Dáil Éireann.

**The deplorable smelly state of the River Suir today, photographed from Barry’s Bridge in the centre of Thurles.**
*Pic: George Willoughby.*

All ages, including elected councillors and politicians are welcome to attend at this event and for those residents of Thurles, who, rightly, find themselves greatly offended by the current deplorable state of the river Suir, your attendance is a must at this event.

Do Local Tipperary Co. Councillors Ever Wash Dirty Dishes?

My dear readers, I ask this question in all seriousness, having read that nine Tipperary County Councillors tabled a motion at their end of July meeting, which called on the local authority to halt their use of glyphosate weed killer.

Ballina, Co. Tipperary resident and Fine Gael Cllr. Ms Phyll Bugler, said that she was disappointed to learn that the product was still approved in the EU, until December 2033. She felt that cancer bearing glyphosate weed killer could be entering our drinking water system.

Councillor Bugler, dear lady for God sake stop worrying, sure we here in Thurles use Fairy Dishwashing Liquid and allow it to run down from our sinks and into our drains, to enter our drinking water system all the time; despite the warning on the label which declares “Harmful to aquatic life with long lasting effects”.

Come to think of it, now that may account for the lovely white, frothy, foam substance, often found floating down the River Suir in Thurles!

**Read the Procter & Gamble warning on their Fairy Liquid** **bottle**, **underlined in red**.

Anyway, councillors were quickly informed by their betters, that while they were committed to reducing the use of herbicides and pesticides; glyphosate is not banned in Ireland, and remains approved for use in the EU to control invasive plant species. Since glyphosate is not banned in Europe and since the EU now makes all the laws and requlations governing Ireland; this leaves Simon Harris free to jet around the world pretending he is a world leader.

Senior officials from the German manufacturing chemical company Bayer, (who bought Monsanto’s glyphosate recipe for a mere reported $66 billion in cash), who were listening at the keyhole to this Tipperary council debate, heaved a deep sigh of relief on hearing Tipperary officials support their product.

It is now my belief that the nine councillors involved in this attempted insurgency within the council chamber, have never gotten themselves involved in the insignificant, or dare I say ‘frivolous task’ of washing the dirty dishes.

But sure look, as Charles Dickens once stated in his book ‘David Copperfield’, “Least said, soonest mended”.
Let the next generation worry about it, if there is one.