The €9 million plus rejuvenation of Liberty Square, Thurles is surely be welcomed. Improvements have been made both below ground and above ground, and most people will agree that the lighting fixtures and granite pavement choices for the square are aesthetically pleasing.
Nevertheless, the persistent presence of a maze of barricades, coupled with the disappearance of beloved trees and the apparent narrowing of the roadways, has prompted quite a lot of head scratching, eyebrow raising and questioning among locals of late.
With 4 traffic lanes reduced to 2, in Liberty SquareThurles ;[See HERE] how will ordinary street traffic pull out of the way, to avoid emergency vehicles, latter responding to any emergency incident. e.g. Ambulance / Doctor / Fire Brigade services? Pic: G. Willoughby
Here are just some of the questions being asked by our readers and Thurles residents.
(1) When will the rejuvenation project actually finish? Rumours abound, but at best it is estimated to be possibly March/April 2022 and at worst it could be July/August 2022.
(2) As the pedestrian areas on Liberty Square expand and increase while road space decreases, will there actually be sufficient space for ordinary traffic to pull over to avoid emergency vehicles, e.g. ambulances and fire engines, latter responding to emergency incidents, not to mention the ability of 20 wheeler delivery trucks, to pass, travelling in different directions? [See picture above.]
(3) If plans are being aimed to deter traffic and attract pedestrians, what impact will this have on our surrounding streets and roads?
(4) Having removed our healthy trees in an act of what can only be described as sheer savagery, are there any plans to replant same?
(5) We have beautiful pavements and an abundance of pedestrian space, but what is going to be done to get foot fall on these footpaths?
(6) What plans are in place to support and stimulate the Liberty Square economy?
Finding the answers to these questions is proving difficult based on current plans.
Although limited consultations have taken place with local residents, business owners and other interested parties, same appear to be little more than token in nature with none of the submissions by residents being implemented.
Indeed, it would appear that a final version of the plan for Liberty Square’s rejuvenation has yet to be released to the public. Some locals worry that the absence of a final plan and completion date may be indicative of inadequate planning. As the saying goes “fail to plan and you plan to fail”. Let’s hope that this isn’t the case.
Pictured yesterday on the Yellow Lough Road (R659) just outside Holycross, Thurles, Co. Tipperary. Photo: G. Willoughby.
Wildflower.
Written by Clinton Arneson
The wildflower… bred by no one, uncultivated; raised hard, raised rough. No glass pane to shield you, nor tender hand revealed you, standing all the sweeter ‘gainst the grass. There may be some the fairer, though none so brave to dare her, wild, wild flower in the wind. END
Two more, very healthy, mature trees on the sunny side, east on Liberty Square, Thurles, alas, have been removed courtesy of an unforgiving chainsaw massacre.
“They took all the trees, and put em in a tree museum And they charged the people a dollar and a half to see them No, no, no Don’t it always seem to go That you don’t know what you got ’til it’s gone They paved paradise, and put up a parking lot.” Extract from song ‘Big Yellow Taxi’ (Lyrics by singer Joni Mitchell).
Same were 7 year old trees initially, when sown by myself and 4 others, all members of a Thurles Tidy Towns committee, back in 1988, giving them an age of just 40 years.
On the day we sowed them some 5 members of Thurles Chamber of Commerce, came along to protest, claiming that their window displays could no longer be observed by the general public.
These trees had been subjected to having gravel and resin replaced at their base late last year, which in turn left people with the hope they would be retained. More money, again wasted, but rate payers have very deep pockets for such dainty projects.
While promising to return trees to the now, new look, upgrading of Liberty Square, one wonders why no unpaved areas are being left to accommodate new replacement trees. Then again, maybe same are to be planted where the old street ESB standards are waiting to be removed. Who knows? As many will attest, there has been only a token public consultation with residents within the town; with local unqualified councillors calling the shots.
Temporary Road Closure on the R-660 Abbey Road, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.
Temporary Road Closure on the R-660 Abbey Road, Thurles, Co. Tipperary are expected from 07:00am on next Monday July 12th 2021, to 7:00pm on Friday August 20th 2021. This temporary unexpected closure, [the second this year] will be in place to facilitate road resurfacing and safety improvement works to the Abbey Road Roundabout, opposite Lidl Supermarket E41 N520. Traffic Management will be in place and major delays are to be expected.
Traffic Lights
Meanwhile, the newly erected perplex of traffic lights at the junction of Clongour Road and Slievenamon road, Thurles, will come into operation, (that is according to Tipperary County Council) on the morning of Tuesday July 13th next. (No local politician, armed with a scissors, has as yet volunteered to officially cut any ribbon). One wonders how long 12 wheeler trucks will delay traffic, as they wait to get around the junction leading south unto Clongour Road west, when forced to cross into oncoming lanes to avoid one traffic light column, latter erected unnecessarily too close to the corner on the Clongour Road section. (See left side of picture above).
Lidl Supermarket. The new Lidl Supermarket retail outlet, (also pictured in the background above), at the junction of Clongour Road and Slievenamon road, Thurles will open on Thursday July 15th next. We wish them well in their future endeavours, as a new town centre for Thurles sadly materialises, reducing the former status of Liberty Square, all courtesy of Tipperary Co. Council’s parking charges, sanctioned by Thurles elected officialdom.
The average Irish family will save €700 per year by taking simple steps to reduce their food waste.
Vegetables, fruit and salad are the foods that are thrown out most often in the home.
Ireland has committed to halving food waste by 2030.
Scientists estimate that food waste produces up to 10 per cent of all global carbon emissions.
Top Tips Include:
Store potatoes in a dry, dark place;
Keep tomatoes in the open air;
Store carrots loose in the bottom drawer of the fridge;
Keep strawberries in the fridge with their green tops on.
As the country prepares for an outdoor summer of picnics and barbeques, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has launched a new campaign to encourage people to reduce their food waste, highlighting simple food storage steps to make their fresh food last longer. The EPA’s website has some great resources to support their ‘Stretch Out and Save‘ campaign and highlights the variety of ways in which different foods should be stored.
Findings from a 2020 EPA survey on food waste attitudes showed that around 40% of Irish people say they waste a lot of fruit and vegetables, and would like to make their fresh food last longer. Fresh fruit, vegetables and salads are Irish summer favourites – but also are the foods we waste the most.
Properly storing fresh fruit and vegetables can help both the environment and your budget, according to Mary Frances Rochford, [EPA Programme Manager]: “We are calling on everyone to support and share our Stretch Out and Save campaign on social media, and take a simple action to stop food waste. Irish households produce over 250,000 tonnes of food waste per year, at a cost of €700 per household. In addition, wasted food is a significant contributor to climate change – responsible for 8% to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Cutting food waste reduces greenhouse gas emissions and also provides real savings to householders.”
The EPA’s Stop Food Waste top tips to stretch out and save your food this summer include:
Strawberries: Don’t put yourself in a jam; keep the strawberries in the fridge with the green tops intact. Washing strawberries in a mixture of water and vinegar (8 cups of water and 1 cup of white vinegar) will also keep them fresh by killing any spores on the fruit.
Tomatoes: Don’t see red when your tomatoes start to have mould spots; Store tomatoes in the open air to keep flavour and texture for longer. Did you know? Tomatoes are actually a fruit not a vegetable.
Potatoes An app-peeling staple in so many households, some people make the mistake of leaving the bag of potatoes out in the light. In fact, potatoes last longer when stored in a cool, dark and dry place. But don’t store them next to onions; the excess moisture in onions can result in potatoes sprouting faster.
Carrots: Keep carrots loose in the bottom drawer of the fridge to keep crisp. The most famous vegetable for improving your vision, ensure that you can see the carrots by removing them from plastic packaging. This avoids the ‘sweating’ that leads to mould formation. If your carrots come with the leaves intact, cut these off before storing. The leaves draw moisture out of the roots causing your carrots to become bendy much faster.
Environmental scientist with the EPA, Ms Odile Le Bolloch explains: “Summer is a time for enjoying lots of fresh produce and salads, but these are also the foods that we waste the most. With a few simple tips we can keep the food we buy that bit fresher for that bit longer. The Stop Food Waste A-Z of Foods is a useful online resource on how to best manage common foods at home to prevent food waste.”
As no two foods are the same, different produce will often have different storage requirements. Re-learning habits and implementing them as we put our shopping away will help to get the most out of groceries.
Find out how to store all of your favourite foods, learn about food date marking, and access resources to help reduce food waste in the home by visiting the EPA website.
Environmental scientist Ms Odile Le Bolloch is available for interview.
Further information: Ms Emily Williamson, (EPA Media Relations Office): Tel: 053-91 70770 (24 hours) and media@epa.ie
During our current Covid-19 pandemic the need to socially distance, has led people to take up a renewed interest in gardening here in Ireland. It has now been firmly proven; from health studies undertaken, that spending an hour or two, just three times a week, in our gardens will lead to better well-being and lower our stress levels.
This renewed interest in gardening has also shown up what are seen as ‘problems’ that previously had possibly gone unnoticed. Same brings us to the constantly asked question on social media, “How do we rid ourselves of unwanted ant populations?”.
First, we should remember that ants have been on our planet since the middle of the Cretaceous Period, same that lasted from about 145 to 66 million years ago. Their presence today means they have survived the mass extinction that eliminated our dinosaurs.
There are, at the very least, 14,000 different known species of ants that cover the terrestrial surface of our earth.
Down through the years humans have gathered an immense amount of knowledge about our ant populations, latter who remain the rivals of humans, as the dominant life form on our planet earth.
The Benefits of Ant Populations
Researchers down the years have discovered that ant insects greatly serve several key functions, which assists Mother Nature to prosper.
Ants aerate the soil digging widespread tunnels through the ground. These tunnels help moisture and air to work their way through the soil, thus assisting the roots of other plant life.
Ants help with pollination, as they travel about in their search for food, thus picking up pollens and thus inadvertently, pollinating plants.
Ants also fertilize plants, dragging decaying foliage to build their nests, thus adding nutrients to the soil.
But perhaps their biggest contribution to the environment is their ability to help control other insects. Since ants prefer to eat food, some like to prey on other insects. Their appetite has been known to help decrease the number of insects that wreak havoc on lawns and gardens. Being highly territorial, ants will fight off other insects and even animals who get too close to their established nests.
Ant Hill
By British-Canadian poet and writer Robert W. Service (Bard of the Yukon)
Black ants have made a musty mound My purple pine tree under, And I am often to be found, Regarding it with wonder. Yet as I watch, somehow it’s odd, Above their busy striving I feel like an ironic god Surveying human striving. Then one day came my serving maid, And just in time I caught her, For on each lusty arm she weighed A pail of boiling water. She said with glee: “When this I spill, Of life they’ll soon be lacking.” Said I: “If even one you kill, You bitch! I’ll send you packing.”
Just think – ten thousand eager lives In that toil-worn upcasting, Their homes, their babies and their wives Destroyed in one fell blasting! Imagine that swift-scalding hell! . . . And though, mayhap, it seems a Fantastic, far-fetched parallel – Remember . . . Hiroshima. END
Ants often invade private homes, through plaster cracks or other means, in their efforts to locate food, relying as they do on their perceptive sense of smell. Therefore to prevent ants infiltrating areas which contains food scraps, e.g. your kitchen, try wafting strong-smelling substances, like peppermint, eucalyptus or tea tree oils, all which are natural insect repellents. Ants are also repelled by cinnamon, black pepper and garlic, so storing the latter close to their points of entry, using perhaps small containers, will act as an invasion deterrent.
A common ant bait recipe is a combination of Borax (sodium borate widely used as a household cleaner) and sugar or peanut butter.
To set up the above mentioned bait, mix the stated ingredients together (one teaspoon of peanut butter or sugar to two teaspoons of borax) and place the mixture into a container which has a lid. Then punch several holes in the lid, and place the container, once again, near a visible ant trail, keeping in mind that it will take three to four days for the borax to work.
Do remember always to keep chemicals out of the reach of small children.
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