You would swear it was a General Election year, then maybe it might be, and if it is, we need to change every solitary TD, we elect to represent our county of Tipperary.
He writes: “I want to give you an update on the work I’ve been doing, and will continue to do, for my home town of Thurles!
Social Housing: 28 units are currently being constructed on the Mill Road. This government is dedicated to providing social and affordable housing. [Note: No mention of attempting to save the 175 year old “Great Famine Double Ditch”, which exists 5 metres (15ft) from where he was standing in his video. We sent 2 emails to Mr Cahill’s email address asking for the answers to 3 simple questions and as was expected from Mr Cahill, we got no reply.]
Jigsaw Centre: this will provide much needed mental health supports for young people in Tipperary.
Third Level Funding: this government has provided €2 million in capital grants for MIC and LIT Thurles campuses as part of the July stimulus.
MIC Thurles: I am working to increase the number of courses available for students, increasing the educational opportunities available in Thurles.
Tourism Office: €2.5 million for a tourism office on the site of the old Lár na Páirce. [You mean, Mr Cahill, the old National Bank building, not Lár na Páirce Museum, surely. By the way it was a €25,000 grant under the Village Renewal Scheme, not €2.5 million; hence the GO FUND ME page started, to try to keep it up and running.]
Hospital of the Assumption: €2.5 million investment in day and respite services for the area. [I thought Mr Alan Kelly TD, in opposition, was responsible for that enterprise before being contradicted by Mr Michael Lowry TD.]
National Apprenticeship Centre: working to increase spaces on offer and I secured €200,000 for Tipperary ETB.
Meanwhile, no mention of his formerly announced pipe dream of a Visitor Heritage Centre for Holycross Abbey, announced by Mr Cahill a week earlier, on 27th September, 2020.
Mr Cahill TD states: [View HERE and do please read the comments underneath for further amusement.]
His press release reads: – “Cahill announces plans for a Multi-million Euro Heritage Centre in the Thurles area.” This development in the Thurles area is believed to have the potential to attract large numbers of international visitors to the area annually. Investments like this are needed in Tipperary to take advantage of opportunities that are likely to emerge as the global pandemic is brought under control. The fact that this project has been able to progress during the Covid pandemic proves to us all that there will be life after Covid, and our area will have a major investment to look forward to. I have been working with stakeholders for some time now on this planned development. Consultations with the local community in the area in question are commencing. Once this process is over, I will be in a position to announce more details. This multi-million Euro development will most definitely be a welcome boost to the mid Tipp region.
[Read the full announcement HERE as Local TippFm Radio broadcasts political deceit. No mention of attempting to save existing 175 year old Thurles heritage.]
The Holycross/ Ballycahill local News Letter on the 27th September 2020, quickly brought TD Mr Jackie Cahill and Thurles Councillor Mr Jim Ryan, back from ‘Fantasy Land’, into the local world of reality and materiality.
The Holycross/ Ballycahill local News Letterstated: – (27th September 2020) “Visitor Heritage Centre: Further to recent media speculation in relation to Holycross Abbey, we wish to point out that there are noplans, drawings, costings or concrete proposals in relation to any development here at this point in time. As has been the case for centuries, our Abbey remains the focal point of our parish for devotion and prayer and that will continue long into the future. If or when there are any further future developments at the Abbey, the people of the parish of Holycross/ Ballycahill should and hopefully will be the first to hear about it.
As you are probably aware from media reports, the Minister with responsibility for OPW (Office of Public Works), Deputy Patrick Donovan made a visit to the Abbey during the week. His predecessor Kevin “Boxer” Moran also made a visit some years ago.
Discussions on possible future development of the OPW portion of the grounds have been taking place over a number of years to see how we can further enhance the area to the benefit of the Abbey and the OPW. Therefore, there is nothing new to report at this point. There are no plans or funding proposals on the table for discussion. Hopefully this will happen at a later stage which, according to the Minister, could take many years to bring to fruition. We are advised that any media speculation is not helpful at this time and may in fact hinder any prospects for the future development.
So Mr Cahill, were you attempting to magnify your currently non-existant profile, to your limited electorate by the use of deceit?
Mr Cahill laughingly continues on his Facebook page:-
“I will continue to push for capital investments in the Thurles area, such as the car park in the town and the development of Liberty Square.” [Note: Carpark & Liberty Square developments were both paid for by the ratepayers of Thurles. Fianna Fáil local councillors voted against that same increase of rates collected to develop Liberty Square, when it was first proposed many years ago.]
Truth is Mr Cahill, you had no hand, act or part in securing or acquiring any one of the assets you claim in your statement, but which you expect the hard working people of Thurles to swallow as truth.
Perhaps the time has come for all TD’s representing Co. Tipperary to either work for their €96,189 per year(€1,850 per week) or fold their tents. Sorry folks, but paying PR staff to associate you with the Met Éireann Weather Forecast on Facebook; with the successful and winning greats like cyclist Sam Bennett, is not actually the work we elected you all to undertake.
We welcome the anticipated new Thurles Tourism Office to the building once known as the old National Bank building and gifted to Thurles by Shannon Development under the governance of Thurles Development Association, Shannon Development and Tipperary County Board G.A.A..
Thurles has, it now appears, two Tourist Offices, one new office on Slievenamon road and one other, some 100 metres away in Bookworm on Liberty Square.
Same is being opened at a time when Liberty Square is desolate, being redeveloped/upgraded; at a time when even the Swifts and Swallows have returned back to Africa; in the middle of a COVID-19 virus pandemic; and of course at a time when Tipperary County Council has decided to destroy much of Thurles Town’s valuable heritage, namely the Great Famine Double Ditch monument. Nevertheless we wish those involved, in the Thurles Tourism Office, every good wish for the future.
Thurles To Open A Second Tourist Office.
For those of our readers following our efforts to preserve and retain our heritage, please read HERE to refresh your memories before reading content hereunder.
My reply to Mr David Coleman, (Ethics Registrar, Corporate Services, Tipperary Co. Council.)
Sir, I thank you for your communication of the 23rd instant.
Let me deal with the first part of your communication. You stated: “The appropriate response in the case of your queries should come from the Thurles Municipal District Executive, i.e. the District Manager or the District Administrator. I understand that you have received a reply to your queries from the Acting District Manager.“
Allow me to remind you of the original question asked two months ago: “Will the planned Thurles inner relief road impinge, in a negative way, on the 1846 Thurles “Double Ditch”, which has been a right of way and a Mass Path for almost 175 years and which is the property of the people of Thurles and a national monument?
The reply which came from Ms Janice Gardiner(Acting District Manager) stated:- “Tipperary County Council has reviewed all documentation relating to the planning aspects of the Thurles Inner Relief Road Project and can find no reference to the existence of the feature/path/monument you describe.”
Do you now, Mr Coleman, believe that the above reply from Ms Gardiner(Acting District Manager), answers the original question asked 6 weeks previously?
As you can see from the link HERE, I have requested (on September 17th 2020) from Ms Gardiner, (and referring to the An Bord Pleanala Report PL79.JP00242013; Archaeological Impact Statement; and the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Screening Report 2013), quote, “I now request copies of all 3 reports to be sent directly to me, in the knowledge that there is a charge for such copies, which I will pay for, immediately on receipt.”
Mr Coleman, I first made contact with you via Mr Ger Walsh in my effort to obtain answers to questions which seven of nine elected Councillors refused to answer over a then seven week period. The nature of the questions, numbering 1 & 2, were urgent, as developers were already in place, beginning their contractual commitments.
Note: The Standards in Public Office Commission which promotes transparency and accountability in Irish public life, (SIPO) correctly informed me via their Complaints Shared Mailbox on 28th August 2020, at 11:49 : – “Dear Mr Willoughby, Our most up to date records state that the Ethics Registrar for Tipperary County Council is Mr Ger Walsh. This position is one which is required by statute to change frequently however, so it may be prudent to check with the Council who holds the position currently. The Oireachtas should be able to advise you on when a new Committee will be established, the Standards in Public Office Commission has no role in considering Ethics complaints concerning TDs.”
So that there now remains no misunderstanding, having checked with a telephonist at Tipperary Co. Council, (Tel: 0761 065000), I was Informed that Mr Ger Walsh remained the Ethics Registrar.
The functions of any local authority are to provide a forum for the democratic representation of the local community and to provide civic leadership for that community. It is also charged under the Local Government Act, 2001 (section 64) “to promote interest among young people in democracy and local government and in community and civic affairs generally”.
Do you believe therefore that it is in keeping that one elected Council member, namely Mr Michaél Lowry should ask me, 7 weeks after addressing my questions to him twice, quote “Who the f..k do you think you are?”.
Since we now learn that Ms Janice Gardener is the only person that can be approached with queries, why do we need County Councillors on huge salaries at all, latter who hold already alternative 9 to 5 full-time employment, thus wasting taxpayer’s money?
I get the impression from your reply that perhaps you and some of your Council colleagues, see me as some kind of asinine, doltish and meaningless, time waster and while I thank you for having contacted 7 of our 9 councillors in terms of their having no regard to and not being guided by the Council’s Code of Conduct, the question remains, have you also contacted senior officials employed on Tipperary County Council’s workforce, from whom replies were also sought and remain unanswered?.
I trust you have familiarized yourself fully with the Local Government Act of 2001 [ Section 174 (i) ] regarding your dealings with Elected Councillors and Council officials. To date 5 councillors and 3 Tipperary Co. Council. officials have failed to reply to me in writing.
Suffice to state that to date, shamefully, two months after the questions were initially asked, I still, today, together with my readers, await even one satisfactory, honest or candid answer, in my dealings regarding this unpalatable matter.
There now appear to be no single person within Tipperary Co. Council, led by Mr Joe MacGrath CE that can conduct, with any real authority, the moral principles that should govern the behaviour or activity of Council officials or Locally Elected Representatives.
Readers will be aware that we received a prompt email from Mr Ger Walsh, Tipperary Co. Council, latter former Ethics Registrar, on the 9th of September last, informing us that “the position of Ethics Registrar has been re-assigned to Mr. David Coleman, Administrative Officer, Corporate Services for the period 1st June 2020 until 31st May 2022” .
Two days ago September 23rd we received a reply from Mr. David Coleman.
Damage already caused to the 1846 Great Famine Double Ditch by Tipperary County Council, with the acceptance of local TD’s and Thurles Municipal District Council.
His email communication reads as follows:-
Sent by Coleman, David david.coleman@tipperarycoco.ie. Time 14:57 to me and dated 23/9/2020. “Dear Mr. Willoughby, I am replying to your complaint regarding three queries you raised with the 9 elected members of Thurles Municipal District Council, of which 2 replied to you. (Personal note: The two who replied were Cllr. Mr Sean Ryan and Cllr. Mr Seamus Hanifin.)
The appropriate response in the case of your queries should come from the Thurles Municipal District Executive, ie the District Manager or the District Administrator.
I understand that you have received a reply to your queries from the Acting District Manager.
Going forward, similar queries should be sent to the District Administrator.
The seven elected members have been contacted in terms of their having regard to and be guided by the Code of Conduct.
I must point out, however, that it is a matter for each elected representative to determine how they deal with their electronic communications, while being cognizant of the Code of Conduct.
Yours Sincerely David Coleman, (Ethics Registrar, Corporate Services.)”
We will be replying to Mr. David Coleman’s communication in the coming days; the reply to be made public.
History is NOT there for you to like or dislike. It is there for you to learn from and if it offends you, even better. Because then you are less likely to repeat it. It’s not yours to ERASE. It belongs to all of us.
According to Tipperary County Council’s online policy statement on heritage, the role of their Heritage Office is, “To promote awareness and appreciation of our rich heritage and to protect and enhance it for future generations”. View HERE.
According to the same Tipperary County Council’s online policy statement on planning the purpose of the Planning Section is “To ensure the protection of the natural built heritage and amenity of the county”. View HERE.
One would believe that same policies should allow for Tipperary dwellers to feel safe, same policies having been signed off on by Tipperary Chief Executive Mr Joe MacGrath. Alas, eight weeks on and no direct written communication from the same Mr MacGrath or his nominee Mr Marcus O’Connor.
We also await communication from the recently re-assigned Ethics Registrar, Mr. David Coleman, Administrative Officer, Corporate Services, (Tel: 0761 065000) with regards to the failure by the above named local councillors to follow their required Code of Conduct.
We gather from the reply by Ms Janice Gardiner or Mr. Eamon Lonergan, (we are unsure of the actual author – View HERE), that it is the full intention of Tipperary Co. Council to destroy the historic 1846 Thurles “Double Ditch”.
Both have stated that the Double Ditch does not exist, but of course it does and its stone clad sides can be viewed with the naked eye. So can be viewed the one step, stone, stile at one end, latter destroyed by Tipperary Co. Co. and the swinging rotary gate at the other end, erected by Tipperary Co. Co.. Do watch the video above again.
Our video shown above indicates clearly; as you enter from the College Lane side of the Double Ditch, in Kickham Street, the abject failure by local politicians to attract any industry into Thurles over the past 30 years. The failure to generate even one long term job, can be observed simply by viewing the abundance of graffiti on the walls of an area; same having such a strong bearing and mutual relationship with our past local history.
Tipperary Co. Council has over the years eradicated much of the town’s history. Just two examples are the Moat and Moat Lane and in more recent years Hickey’s pub (Griffins Shop). In both cases using rate payer’s money back then to build the Parnell Street car park and more recently, (yet to open), the new car park. In turn both these tax payer funded projects are being used to generate further taxes, laughably at the expense of the very same tax payers who funded them in the first place; result the destruction of the town centre, through parking charges.
We are now aware, sadly, that some of our local elected representatives and county council officials are faithless; treacherous and deceitful, showing a willingness to act dishonestly, by failing to communicate directly with those who elected them and who pay their wages.
This deceit is further borne out by a communication from Ms Josepha Madigan TD, former caretaker Minister for Heritage, who stated, and I quote, “So far as we understand, there is no direct impact on the “Double Ditch” from any current development. The Department is a statutory consultee in the planning and development process, but our role in this regard is to respond to particular development proposals as referred to us by the planning authority.” Of course we now know that the ‘statutory consultee’ appears to have been misinformed by the “planning authority” as were the staff who provided the Environmental Impact Assessment Screening Report and those involved in the conjuring up of the Archaeological Impact Statement.
Perhaps the time has come for a locally-led task force for Thurles, akin to that same recently appointed force in Tipperary Town.
The Thurles Double Ditch, running from College Green, Thurles to the Mill Road in Thurles, viewed onGoogleSatellite Maps which ‘Roads Capital Section’ says “DOES NOT EXIST”. You can view this map HERE
Yesterday, after almost 8 weeks, the Thurles Municipal District Council has eventually replied to my 3 questions. We remain unsure who actually replied since the email, hereunder, suggests two authors. Not that authors matter since the reply is fallacious, imprecise and dare I say possibly felonious.
Questions asked; as if anyone needed reminding, were:- (1). Will the planned Thurles inner relief road impinge, in a negative way, on the 1846 Thurles “Double Ditch”, which has been a Right of Way and a Mass Path for almost 175 years and which is the property of the people of Thurles and a national monument? (2). What are the future plans for the 1798 memorial statue [The Stone Man], first erected in Liberty Square, Thurles in 1900, and still standing there, awaiting possible removal prior to the new upgrade? Note: [We recently published replies on this matter HERE.] (3). Which Municipal District Councillor is responsible for delaying the Thurles Recycling Civic Amenity, which this town so badly needs?
I refer to your email communication sent to Mr. Joe MacGrath, Chief Executive and the Thurles Municipal District Councillors in relation to a number of queries concerning the Thurles Municipal District and advise that the matters were forwarded to myself as District Manager, consideration and direct reply.
Response to queries as follows: Q.1.Response received from the Roads Capital Section.
Tipperary County Council has reviewed all documentation relating to the planning aspects of the Thurles Inner Relief Road Project and can find no reference to the existence of the feature/path/monument you describe. The relevant reference documents/databases in this instance are:
TCC Planning GIS
Department of Arts Heritage and the Gaeltacht – Historic Environment Map Viewer
National Monuments Service – Record of Monuments and Places (RMP)
National Monuments Service Archive Unit – Sites & Monuments Record Archive (SMR)
An Bord Pleanala Report PL79.JP0024
2013 EIA Screening Report
2013 Archaeological Impact Statement
These documents/databases contain no reference to a “Double Ditch”.
Q.2. 1798 Memorial Statue – there are no plans for this monument and it will stay in place during upcoming construction works.
Q.3.Thurles Recycling Civic Amenity – No Municipal District Councillor is responsible for delaying the provision of a Civic Amenity site in Thurles. The provision of a Civic Amenity site in any town is subject to availability of funding from the Department.
Yours faithfully, Mr. Eamon Lonergan, Acting District Manager, Thurles Municipal District.
Email Message Ends
My same-day-reply to Ms Janice Gardiner, bore the following message:- George Willoughbygeorge.willo@gmail.com 00:06 to Janice
To: Ms Janice Gardiner, Madam, Thank you for your communication via Mr Eamon Lonergan. For the moment please view this link http://www.thurles.info/2020/09/16/more-news-on-efforts-to-destroy-thurles-heritage/ Keep in mind that in November of last year (2019) I asked Ms Róisin O Grady(Heritage Officer and Creative Ireland Coordinator) walking on the ‘Double Ditch’to have the area declared a National monument. I now believe it is perfectly fair for me to believe that she has been prevented from achieving this goal by Tipp. Co. Council officialdom. So we must continue to ask questions and seek the truth.
Yours sincerely George Willoughby
Email Message Ends
We have constantly discussed the waste of Tax and Rate payers money by Tipperary Co. Council and we now ask Ms Gardiner, as Thurles Municipal District Manager, to request that any fees paid to or generated by: (1) An Bord Pleanala Report PL79.JP00242013. (2) Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Screening Report2013. (3) Archaeological Impact Statement; be immediately refunded to Thurles Municipal District, since all three reports forwarded by them were complete works of fiction or deliberately influenced by officialdom to deceive the people of Thurles town.
I now request copies of all 3 reports to be sent directly to me, in the knowledge that there is a charge for such copies, which I will pay for immediately on receipt.
Please inform the Roads Capital Section; Mr Eamon Lonergan; Mr Marcus O’Connor and Mr Joe MacGrath, that if so much as one blade of grass is touched on the Thurles Double Ditch; costs incurred courtesy of the National Monuments Service will be greater than the compensation cases being defended currently by Tipp. Co. Council; which I understand are estimated at €22 million Euros, if same cases are upheld by the courts.
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