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 Green Dragon Innovation Challenge 2011 The Agri Aware Green Dragon Secondary Schools Innovation Challenge is back and set again to entice all our young innovators to develop original and ground breaking ideas. Students are encouraged to develop the concept of a new product or service within three sectors with huge potential for development, namely: food, agriculture and the environment.
Twenty five finalists will battle it out at the national final in March 2011 for the highly coveted prize of a development fund worth €8,000.
Agri Aware with the support of Bord Bia and AIB Bank are calling on second level students of all ages to look outside their classroom, identify a gap in one of these three sectors and apply what they have learned to the real world.
The challenge is open to all second level students. It doesn’t matter if you are a first or a sixth year, the submission will be judged on the merit of the idea and not your age.
Students nationwide will pitch their ideas to the Green Dragons with the hope of following in the footsteps of last year’s highly successful winner, Paul Bowden from Thurles CBS Co. Tipperary.
IFA President John Bryan commented, “The Green Dragon is an excellent way to get our young people thinking about the huge economic possibilities that lie within the agricultural, food and environmental sector.”
Interested pupils, teachers and parents should visit Here for more information.
Note: Due to the recent adverse weather conditions resulting in the closure of many schools, the closing date for registration to the Green Dragon Innovation Challenge is now Friday January 21st, 2011.
 Construction work by Bord Gáis Networks on the pipeline to bring natural gas to homes and businesses in Tipperary Town, is expected to get underway this week. Tipperary Town customers can soon join a network of some 640,000 customers countrywide, who presently enjoy clean, efficient and environmentally friendly fuel.
The project on completion was previously estimated in 2009 at costing €5,551,357.
The town will be supplied with natural gas from the existing Raheen Above Ground Installation (AGI) in Garryspillane, Co. Limerick. The project will involve laying a 17km feeder main pipeline along the R662 to the edge of Tipperary town and 9.8km of distribution pipeline throughout the town.
Construction of the feeder main pipeline is being carried out by Bord Gáis Networks’ designated contractor, GMC Groups gas division. Work on the new distribution pipeline in Tipperary town is scheduled to begin in spring 2011 and will be completed within six months.
Bord Gáis Networks is currently liaising with all the relevant authorities and organisations, as well as the businesses and residents along the route of the pipeline, to ensure that all concerned are aware of the planned construction.
As safety is a number one priority, Bord Gáis Networks has been working with the Roads and Planning departments in Tipperary Town Council and Tipperary County Council, to agree local traffic management plans and to arrange appropriate sites for the storage of pipes and fittings.
All excavation work will be back-filled and original surfaces restored, thus ensuring that disruption is kept to a bare minimum.
The town of Thurles was being considered in the same economic group with the town located close to the existing Transmission Block Valve station at Gurteen off the Cork-Dublin Transmission pipeline. The project on completion for Thurles was previously estimated at costing in 2009, approximately €11,300,882. However this proposed connection to the network, resulted in a negative net present value of -€8.66m and therefore connection was deemed uneconomic on a stand-alone basis.
Now our readers may partially understand why I compare rural Thurles to ‘An Pháil’. No secret government support deals done on this front.
Still, after next Thursday’s HSE / SIPTU scam discussions, we might get part of the €40 million odd set aside by that body called the Health Services National Partnership Forum, that is if it has not been all spent on foreign holidays for union chiefs.
Isn’t it just gas my friends.
 Lisheen Mine At Wednesday’s Joint Committee meeting, North Tipperary Deputy Noel Coonan was informed that the life of Lisheen Mine, Moyne, Thurles, Co Tipperary has been extended possibly to the end of 2014 and Anglo American Lisheen Mining Ltd see the site as having the potential to become a leading renewable energy location into the future.
The local Fine Gael TD who is a member of the Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, yesterday examined the topic of Irish mining and exploration. In attendance at the meeting was Mr John Elmes of Anglo American Ltd, owner of Lisheen Mine.
Deputy Noel Coonan stated:
“Additional mineral deposits have been uncovered at Lisheen mine and extraction will continue post 2014. We are exploring the idea that, on closure of Lisheen Mine, the site could become a forerunner in the field of renewable energy. The site, located between the villages of Moyne and Templetuothy, is ripe with opportunity having it’s own ESB sub-station and connection to the grid. It is ideally located off the M8 and is also in close proximity to the N7 so transport is not an issue. This is a viable opportunity that must be teased out. Mr Elmes and I both agreed that this industrial site already has excellent facilities in place and these should be maximised upon.
Anglo America is actively promoting the site as a centre for the production of wind and hydro energy because of its zoning as an industrial site and the facilities already there. So there’s no reason why the site could not also generate energy from sugar beet and anaerobic digestion and become a thriving industrial renewable energy site,” said Deputy Coonan.
I’m calling on the Government and all departments involved including the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources to do everything in its power to promote Lisheen Mine as a centre of renewable energy, especially in the area of ethanol production.
The sugar beet industry in Thurles should never have closed according to the European Court of Auditors’ report and I believe the industry could be reignited again and I will be pushing for this to happen in my role as Fine Gael’s CAP spokesperson.”
Following an application in October last, planning approval has now been granted for a bio-diesel plant near Thurles.
G.R.O. Oil Ltd have been granted approval by North Tipperary Co. Council to construct a bio-diesel production facility at Manselstown, Ballyduff, Thurles, Co Tipperary.
Included in the permission is leave to construct twelve bunded storage tanks, a lab, a process building, an administration building and other ancillary buildings. The proposed plant must operate with an integrated pollution control licence from the Environmental Protection Agency.
In 2008 Centenary Thurles Co-Op finalised contracts with the Cork company, for the sale of this site near Thurles, which had planning permission for this 40,000 tonne processing plant.
What Are The Advantages of Bio-diesel
Locally grown seed is a strengthening market especially where imported oils such as palm oil are seen as environmentally damaging due to rain forest clearance especially in Asian countries. It was then felt that offering the opportunity to grow alternative crops to farmers here in Tipperary, would greatly enhance the sustainability of the region and provide a substitute crop for many tillage growers following the decline of the sugar beet industry.
G.R.O. Oil Ltd. is a Cork based company, established in 2004, manufacturing bio-diesel from rapeseed, which is ready for use in any diesel engine without any modifications required. Bio-diesel is renewable and it has a closed loop cycle, with only the CO2 absorbed by the growing plant being emitted from the engine during the combustion cycle. It is a clean burning renewable fuel made from vegetable oil, animal fats or recycled cooking oil. It can be used in compression ignition (diesel) engines with no modifications. Bio-diesel is simple to use, biodegradable, non-toxic and free from sulphur and aromatics.
In February 2007, Minister Noel Dempsey announced that Ireland would move to a biofuels obligation in 2009, where fuel suppliers would be required to ensure that biofuels represent a certain percentage of their annual fuel sales. In announcing the obligation, the Minister set targets of 5.75% market penetration by 2010 and 10% by 2020.
Goldrop from G.R.O. Oil is manufactured to EN14214 which is the recognized European standard for cleanliness, purity and combustion quality.
 Winter Walking Winter walking festivals have once more begun making their welcome appearance and where better to venture, for lovers of this healthy pastime, than Upperchurch, Thurles, Co.Tipperary this coming weekend, for their Annual Walking Festival.
Winter walking is all about exploring winter wonderlands and it is in this wonderful upland area that the winter hills continue to reward each visitor especially young families. Experience its pure bracing air, its striking views of mother nature in all her winter nakedness and all without any of the heroics and hardship often associated with this healthy pastime.
One of the main reasons people love winter walking is that it is so easy to get the hang of and anyone who has ever donned a pair of walking boots can pick it up straight away without any special lessons required.
Of course good shoes and socks are essential for this kind of outing. Shoes that stand up to mud and rain will keep you from the misery of damp cold feet that could eventually become cracked and sore, thus leading you to the foolish decision that, really, this healthy outdoor life may not be for you.
From my own experience ordinary walking shoes leak while a good pair of hiking boots keep your feet dry and also keep you from sliding in the sometimes mud, snow and ice. When buying always invest in a good lightweight boot that is just a bit larger than your normal shoe size.
With regard to clothing, do put on layers of same, for walking in the cold. In order to feel comfortable as your body adjusts to the outside air, your outside clothing can then easily be shed, should you start overheating. Very heavy wool sweaters will not always allow you to cool down enough while you walk, so if the temperatures rises as you progress, with layering you can take the outerwear off and tie it around your waist.
A hat is also essential to keeping in body heat and gloves are always very desirable, as is a camera for lovers of photography. Indeed you are sure to come across a picture in this place of such wild and natural beauty.
So do head for the Upperchurch Hills this weekend not only for the walking, but also for the healthy atmosphere, the beauty and the freedom that abounds. Also experience the warmth and friendliness of the local people you will meet should you stop off in the village for any type of food or beverage.
Tel: 0504-54284 or 086-0518934 or click here for further information.
The festival begins tomorrow Nov 5th and runs for 3 days and I know from first hand experience you will truly enjoy this trip.
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