Environment « Thurles Information

Elderly Tourist Dies Following Fall In West Tipperary.

A female tourist, understood to be aged in her 70’s, has sadly died following a fall, while walking at a popular tourist attraction in Co Tipperary.

Gardaί and emergency services from Killaloe including the Tipperary Fire Brigade, quickly responded to the tragedy, which occurred in the Clare Glens, area near Newport in Tipperary, yesterday evening, Wednesday September 11th, at around 5:30pm.

Sadly the lady, who has not yet been named publically, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Gardai have confirmed that a coroner has since been notified and arrangements will now be made for a post-mortem examination to take place.

Back in January 2015 this extremely picturesque location, a popular visitor attraction for walkers, was the scene of a kayaking accident, when a 26 year old man, was injured while out with a group of friendsHe was treated in Limerick University Hospital for non-life threatening injuries, following a rescue operation which lasted some three and a half hours.

Neglect & Failure To Maintain Local Thurles Amenities.

Thurles, Co. Tipperary continue in a cycle of spending large amounts of funding on projects that tick lots of boxes, but ultimately the town fails to maintain what it has already got and fails to fix longstanding important issues.

After spending, in or around some €10 million Euro on updating half of Liberty Square, ask yourself are traffic conditions any better?
Motorists would confirm that conditions have become significantly much worse, with heavy goods vehicles (HGV’s) forced to traverse our medieval streets, with no progress being made with regards our long sought after “Thurles Ring Road”.
Ask yourself why have all the business premises either moved or closed within the Liberty Square area of Thurles, and where is the promised increase in ‘footfall’, same now reduced by 60%, according to the few angry, remaining business owners.

Officialdom appears to “fix what isn’t broken”; the latest being a €3.4 million car park revamp near ‘The Source’ building, same only revamped some 8 years ago.
Latter is just one example; as they simultaneously ignore what badly needs fixing, e.g. the river Suir in the centre of Thurles Town, same being just one example, which Thurles.Info has already highlighted, on numerous occasions, most recently on August 17th 2024 last, HERE.

But there are other amenities showing obvious decay, same directly highlighting officialdom’s utter neglect of town maintenance.

We have mentioned already the 8 year old re-vamped Town Park carpark, same now to be re-vamped, yet again, to become a Market area and Restaurant, as yet devoid of tenants, which will considerably reduce existing car parking spaces, while competing with existing local small businesses, same already struggling to operate just a few metres away in the Liberty Square town centre.

In recent weeks we have watched mature trees ripped out from this aforementioned Town Park carpark and re-sown close by, their bark extensively damaged by heavy machinery which was used to rip apart the tree heel mesh grills at their base. Two of these mature trees are unlikely to survive the coming winter.

New “Nature Signs” provided along the river walk, close to the junction of Emmet Street and Thomond Road, and only recently erected, have now been smashed by a very small group of “uncouth barbarians”, permitted to roam freely in the area.
Of course no local residents nearby heard anything, as a large rock was used to pound the thick Plexiglas Perspex acrylic sheet, protecting its contents from weathering.

No Closed-Circuit Television Installed!

Signs are positioned nearby threatening CCTV (Closed-Circuit Television) being in operation. Yet again, no CCTV has ever existed, covering this area, and proof of same is the amount of damage caused by the afore mentioned small number of “uncouth barbarians”, with no arrests ever being made.

The eight year old Skateboard Park remains closed presently for the second time in just two years, with no official reason given. Its various surfaces have been sprayed with unwanted graffiti. See the residents wall at the start of our video stating “Thurles Ciity Kiids Smoke Hash”, (See also hate slogans in a video link inviting “TD’s, Councillors & Officials Invited To Walk On Thurles River Walk”; Same Posted Here ).

The area in the park known as the “Fitness Zone”, again, has been totally neglected, with the individual sectioned area’s poles either pulled up or broken off. Same poles are now rotten, having been only preserved using one basic coat of fence preservative some 8 years ago, before being then left uncapped due to its semicircle (circular half arc) construction.

Video, shown above, is undeniable proof of this very small section of our town, now depicting that which normally indicates an inner-city slum.

Witch Hazel ‘Diane’.

Witch Hazel Diane (Hamamelis x intermedia Diane)

Witch Hazel ‘Diane’ is a broad-crowned deciduous shrub, but more compact than some, remaining generally pest-free.
It displays broad ovate or rounded leaves, which initially emerge as green, before slowly turning into brilliant shades of red and yellow from late Summer, right through, until mid to late autumn.

Witch Hazel *‘Diane’*.
*Pic: G. Willoughby.*

Witch Hazel ‘Diane’ is a winter-flowering shrub, which produces dense clusters of slightly scented, red to copper-red flowers in mid and late winter.
Each of its flower consists of ribbon-like, crinkled, strap-shaped petals with claret bases and a purple-red calyx.

It enjoys a sheltered site, in well drained, acid to neutral soil in your garden. It can be sown in full sun or partial shade and in its early years can be planted in a large pot.
Slow growing; when fully mature it can achieve a height of 2.5m (8ft) with a spread of some 3m (10ft).

To obtain most joy from this most attractive of shrubs, position same close to a window, if possible, where early or late sun can reflect its light through its amazing foliage.

This shrub can currently be obtained from O’Driscoll’s Garden Centre here on Mill Road in Thurles, Co. Tipperary, latter the home of truly rare trees and shrubs.

Submissions For Phase 2, Liberty Square Thurles Planning, Closed.

Some 20 submissions in total were forwarded to Tipperary Co. Council in reference to current plans submitted on the Phase 2 Liberty Square Public Realm Scheme. All submissions can be read in full by our readers, simply by accessing and scrolling down the page located at the LINK SHOWN HERE.

**Proposed Liberty Square West Layout** **(Phase 2**).

The closing time and date for all submissions closed at 4:30pm today, Friday August 30th, 2024.

No local resident consumers/shoppers made submissions or raised serious concerns about the planned designs for either Liberty Square or the several adjacent streets i.e. Rossa Street, Parnell Street, Nicholas Street (Cúchulainn Road) and Friar Street. Same have learned, from passed interactions with regards to such submissions sent to Tipperary Co. Council, that their opinions went unacknowledged and were rejected outright without discussion.

Parnell Street *(formerly New Street)* **at the junction *(right)* with** **Cúchulainn Road *(formerly Nicholas Street)*.**

In the main; Tipperary Co. Council now stand accused of failing to conduct detailed trials in respect of such planned changes to the town centre traffic flow and also of failing to fully consider the real impact of such proposed changes, on future ability of local businesses to continue to trade profitably.

Thurles.Info will be highlighting further failings, with regards Thurles planning issues, in the coming days.

TD’s, Councillors & Officials Invited To Walk On Thurles River Walk.

Resident, local Fianna Fáil, TD Mr Jackie Cahill, has stated publicly, confirming his support for the cleaning of the River Suir in Thurles, however he has also admitted, on Tipp Mid-West Radio, that he is unable “to excessively influence policy in this area”.
He also claims that people interested in fishing in the river, struggle to even find access to its banks. But of course there is no difficulty in gaining access to the banks once you have trampled down the three foot high stinging nettles and briars, using a supermarket trolley in an effort to locate water.

[Mr Cahill is the same TD who as, Chairperson of the Oireachtas Agriculture Committee, believes a more “farmer friendly” approach would benefit farmers, in the wake of changes imposed by the EU with regards nitrogen limits; latter which is presently destroying our Irish rivers and lakes].

We now trust that Mr Cahill will have a chat with his sister, councillor Mrs Kay Cahill-Skehan, to brief her, before the next Thurles Municipal District Council Meeting.

**River Suir pictured six years apart**.
*Pics: G. Willoughby*

We welcome also the input from re-elected Independent Councillor Mr Jim Ryan, who is committed to, at the next council meeting, quote “calling on all the relevant bodies to come together to formulate a future plan, for the River Suir in Thurles. Currently it is completely overgrown with vegetation. There is no flow or depth and there is always the continuous problem of the green algae forming on the surface. It has become an eyesore and an embarrassment to the town”.
SEE HERE: Thurles. Info first raised this issue on November 7th 2013 so this “calling” now comes 11 years to late.

Perhaps all public representatives can confirm:
(A) Where has our Grundfus submersible water pump gone, latter which fed our three river fountains?
(B) Why has the two weirs, which controlled water levels close to Barry’s Bridge been allowed to deteriorate ?
(C) Why do we constantly continue to highlight new projects, while failing to maintain or support that which already exists?

Meanwhile, elected councillors, while you a talking to those who receive large salaries and who must take direct responsible for this total neglect, please see the short video hereunder.

I feel I should point out that Thurles is trying to attract tourists; albeit with little or no success.
Perhaps our two resident TD’s; our recently re-elected councillors, together with Thurles Municipal District officials, should take a short walk from the River Walk entrance on the N62, (close to Lidl supermarket), and continue their journey, to the Thurles Town park, situated close to “The Source” building.

Note: the messages of hate scrawled on the Rainbow Seat, placed to celebrate Pride and the LGBTQ+ community and also painted on the flood barriers.
See the filth both in and on the surface of the river water.
See also the nettles and briars converging unto the walkway, in the name of biodiversity, which now confines young children to their pushchairs and perambulator devices, when choosing to use this river side walkway.
God knows we have all the biodiversity we need growing out of our drains, currently within the town’s streetscapes.

Ask why hate messages have not been removed by salaried individuals. Same messages do not represent the feelings of the vast majority of Thurles residents and proper administration must now be immediately implemented.

Time now to take back our town and yes this will put a few noses out of joint, but what the hell!
Elected representatives have my full permission to reveal red faces and to feel shame and embarrassed.
So what are we getting for our Property Tax, Rates, Parking Charges etc?