Thurles Information

Pollution: Noun – from Latin ‘pollutio’ – the introduction of a contaminant or contaminants into the natural environment, thus causing unwanted and adverse change.

Protect the River Suir you love.

The continued pollution of the river Suir, here in the centre of Thurles, goes on unabated. The limestone banks constructed some 20 years ago, by environmentalist; the now deceased Wilbert Huben and his then Tidy Towns Team, were then strongly resisted by North Tipperary County Councillors, some of whom used every possible means to halt this development, including seeking help from the Irish Fisheries Board, who in turn issued threats of court action.

Today, the careless dumping of contaminants e.g. plastic items, beer cans, a series of unidentified chemical spillages (see video clip above), the uncontrolled growth of weeds and willow tree saplings etc., now trap these pollutants, resulting in the choking to death of this rich, living water resource.

We learn that Local councillors, [members of the Templemore / Thurles Municipal District] at this month’s meeting of Tipperary County Council are ‘calling’ again; this time seeking fishing facilities to be installed in Thurles on the river Suir. They would like to see board-walks and other facilities put in place, to assist those already fishing, and to attract more people into the area. Director of Services with the local authority, Mr Pat Slattery put a stop to these ‘callings’ by stating, “We’re looking at tying in this idea with another project“. Once again enigmatic Tipperary County Council officials are saving up a big surprise for both elected councillors and urban dwellers.

This is, after all, ‘Local Election Year’ for new potential local councillors and for those elected councillors, who, over the last five years have accomplished absolutely nothing. District residents are now expected to rush out to polling booths; to vote on May 24th next, granting substantial extra income to double jobbing individuals, many of whom will quickly vanish silently back into the woodwork, to remain ‘Dumb and Dumber’, until a couple of weeks before the next local election, due in 2024.

It is now quite obvious that these elected councillors are spending too much of their time on Facebook in their efforts in ‘pre-election vote gathering’. We now invite them to take a breather and walk just 20 metres (a mere 65ft) along the water front area, between the Thurles Leisure Centre and the River Suir.

Warning: Watch you don’t slip.

No, I am not referring to the surrounding crude graffiti currently on show: instead keep your eyes strictly focused on the water’s edge. Now, ask yourself why here in the heart of our rural town, you have, on your watch, allowed a rich living water resource to be turned into an almost lifeless smelly cesspool?

Through your lack of proper governance, no self-respecting fish will ever be caught in this area and indeed if an angler were lucky enough to catch some misguided, disorientated, gill-bearing aquatic animal here; sad to say, it beggar’s belief that he/she would ever eat it.