Politics « Thurles Information

Government Statement On 48th Anniversary Of Dublin-Monaghan Bombings

Here in Co. Tipperary today, we remember two victims of the Dublin bombings; both murdered in the city, forty eight years ago this very day, 17th of May 1974.

In Dublin city three car bombs were detonated without warning, during rush hour.

The first victim, Miss Breda Turner, then aged just 21, was working in the Office of the Revenue Commissioners; the primary State Body responsible for the assessment and collection of taxes and other duties, here in the Republic of Ireland.

Originally from Thurles town in Co. Tipperary, she had moved to Dublin and was engaged to be married on the following Easter. Ms Turner sadly was murdered in the Parnell Street explosion. (See second picture above).

The second victim was Mrs Maureen Shields, aged 46, originally from the village of Hollyford, in Co. Tipperary. Mrs Shields had moved to Dublin, where she had also worked in the Civil Service, until her marriage to husband Leo in 1953. The couple had one son and two daughters.

Mrs Shields, sadly, was murdered in the Talbot Street explosion. (See first picture above).

While the Dublin bombings, in 1974, were the biggest mass murder in the history of the Irish State, no one person has ever been charged with these crimes.

Former Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman, Baroness Nuala O’Loan (Member of House of Lords of the United Kingdom), previously found that Special Branch officers gave the killers immunity and ensured that the murderers were never brought to justice.

It is at this time also that we remember Mr George Bradshaw, a Tipperary victim of the Dublin bombing of December 1st 1972.

Mr Bradshaw, aged just 30 years, was a bus conductor from Fethard, in Co. Tipperary; one of two male victims who died when a car bomb exploded at Sackville Place, Dublin, at approximately 8.15pm on that fateful day. Both victims were bus drivers with CIE and brutally murdered, having just left the nearby CIE Workers’ Club.

Mr Bradshaw had only moved to Dublin less than two years previously. He was married to loving wife Kathleen, a nurse from Belfast city; both were parents to two young children, Lynn and Rory.

This afternoon in a statement by Mrs Helen McEntee (Minister for Justice) she stated, “For the past two years, it was not possible to hold the remembrance ceremony in the way that we may have wished due to Covid restrictions and it will, I am sure, be a relief to many to be able to meet again in person, this year, to remember all those murdered and injured on this day in 1974.

The Government is fully committed to seeking out the truth behind those events and, hopefully, to secure some measure of comfort for the victims’ families and the survivors. The Good Friday Agreement recognised the need for a particular acknowledgement of the position of victims. The Irish Government will not forget our duty to victims and survivors.

Developing and establishing effective ways to address the legacy of the Troubles is a way to meet the legitimate needs and expectations of all those killed and injured in those dark days, including those victims of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings who are at the forefront of our minds today”.

Thurles Municipal District Councillors Condemn Their Own Electorate.

Thurles.Info would like to correct statements made today, by Municipal District Councillors Mr Seamus Hanafin and Mr Jim Ryan, latter who falsely accused the public of littering Liberty Square in Thurles, over last weekend.

The images taken on the above video were photographed on Sunday morning, May 15th, at between 8:00am and 9.30am, before being uploaded around mid-day. View the attempt to cover-up HERE.

Mr Hanafin, the truth is that this administrator observed that all bins within Liberty Square were overflowing on Saturday night, May 14th, last. Early on Sunday morning I checked again, in the vain hope that those we elected at local election time, would arrange to undertake proper administration on our behalf, as indeed you as highly paid councillors are wont to undertake on behalf of the Thurles community, who elected you.

Alas, with no correct action taken by either you or Cllr. Ryan on Saturday evening, people acting totally responsibly, attempted to compact the contents of each bin, with little success. [Cllrs. Pizza Boxes are oversized].
Recyclable items therefore became dislodged, first by a south-westerly breeze and again at first light by crows, latter anxious to glean from the remains of take-away bags and pizza boxes.
Councillor Mr Hanafin you owe TippFM Radio an apology and also an apology to your electorate, for attempting to mislead them.

Mr Jim Ryan, you owe the publicans of this town an apology. I covered every inch of Liberty Square on Sunday morning as the video, herewith, shows. Not one piece of broken glass was to be seen on Liberty Square and only three disposable plastic glasses were located. You, sir, should also apologise to TippFM Radio; together with the publicans in Thurles, and your own electorate which each year appear to get less.

The video above shows quite clearly the truth of the matter and confirms that these inferior bins are not fit for purpose in any public setting.

Oh, and bye the way; both of you councillors should stay off TippFM, until you can learn to speak the truth. We now reside; directly because of your failures, in a town long forgotten.

In the meantime these bins need to be emptied last thing on Saturday evening, at least during the Summer months. May I suggest double time off, in lieu, during the week for those who undertake this work. After all, what are we paying Property Tax for or is it just to pay for your inflated salaries, while your tiny workforce work for a pittance.

In the meanwhile, tomorrow would be a good time for you gentlemen to publicaly apologise, before taking back control from your municipal district officials.

Further Extended Legislation For Pub & Restaurant Outdoor Seating Areas.

Minister Mrs Helen McEntee to further extend legislation for pub and restaurant outdoor seating areas.

Proposed to extend Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2021 until 30th November 2022.
Provides certainty for licenced premises serving alcohol in outdoor seating areas as summer season approaches.

Minister for Justice Mrs Helen McEntee has moved to further extend the operation of outdoor seating areas, as licensed premises look ahead, to the busy summer months.

The Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2021 was first introduced in July 2021, bringing about changes to allow for the sale and consumption of alcohol in relevant outdoor seating areas.

Minister McEntee stated: “Government has today approved my proposal to seek an extension to this legislation for a further six months until 30th November 2022. I will bring the necessary Motions before the Houses of the Oireachtas at the earliest opportunity in advance of 31st May.

The Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2021 gave much needed certainty to licenced premises during the pandemic, allowing publicans and restaurant owners across the country serving alcohol in relevant outdoor seating areas to operate lawfully.

Alcohol may be sold in the applicable areas until 11pm, which is considered reasonable and proportionate as a nationwide approach for private land outdoor seating areas.

While most of the Covid-19 restrictions have now lifted, I am very aware of how hard our pubs, restaurants and nightclubs have been hit by the restrictions of the past two years.

Many of these businesses are still struggling and it’s important that we give them the assistance they need to thrive as the busy summer season approaches. The extension of this legislation is a key support in that regard.”

The legislation applies where those outdoor seating areas have been permitted by the relevant local authority on public land, such as a path, or where they are on private land abutting the licensed premises, such as an abutting yard, as provided for in the Act.

Minister McEntee added that the forthcoming legislation on licensing laws – the Sale of Alcohol Bill – will help to further support and revitalise the hospitality industry and Night-Time Economy.

The Minister said: “I am committed to enacting alcohol licensing laws that reflect the changing expectations and lifestyles of 21st century Ireland. A modernised licensing system will play an important role in revitalising existing Night-Time Economy businesses.

To this end, my Department is currently working on the drafting of the General Scheme of the Sale of Alcohol Bill. This is advancing well, and it is my intention to progress this legislation in the months ahead with a view to enacting it this year”.

Nightmare On Friar Street.

As we are all aware a nightmare is really just a most unpleasant dream that causes strong emotional responses from our minds. Not only does it cause, typically, great fear, but also often great despair, anxiety and even inordinate sadness.

Well between ourselves, and please let this conversation go no further; I had a nightmare last night that left me waking up, drenched in sweat, while shouting “Jackie, where is the half million Euros”.

**Massive hole continues to grow on Friar Street in Thurles**, **Co. Tipperary**.

From what I can still clearly recall, there was a massive hole in the street at Bowes Corner on Friar Street here in Thurles; that was causing a lot of accidents, damage to vehicles and worst of all, deaths.

The Cathaoirleach of Thurles Municipal District Council held an emergency meeting with the more intelligent people on the council, to discuss a possible solution to this most worrying of developments.

One councillor suggested parking an ambulance next to the hole, so that whenever any such accident occurred in the future, the victim could be quickly transported to our majorly overcrowded University Hospital in Limerick, to repose on a trolley, possibly reducing at least a few of the rising fatalities.

Another councillor suggested that there could be a scenario on any GAA match days, where a multiple collision could occur, thus while one ambulance is busy transporting a victim on the 90 mile round trip to Limerick, other victims would be left stretched on our dodgy footpaths. He suggested putting ten ambulances near the hole instead of just one.

A third councillor wisely interrupted and raised his concerns about the prices of petrol and wages for paramedics; pointing out that building a new hospital, next to the hole, would actually cost less in the long term.

Yet another councillor suggested that the assembly were being over dramatic, and with the poor quality of hurling emerging from Tipperary clubs this season, the idea of multiple collisions was the “stuff of unnecessary panic”.

To avoid a plenary session, which would have allowed councillors to spend time working in smaller groups and taking an informal approach to problem solving, with lateral thinking; the Cathaoirleach of the Thurles Municipal District Council interrupted his convened assembly.
He tells them that such solutions are all far too expensive, and instead he suggests that the hole be filled-in immediately and another one dug in front of Limerick hospital to save money.

With no chance of sleep now returning to my weary bones and with the sun coming up over the ridge of Killough Hill, I quickly took a cold shower, got dressed and headed with all haste for Bowe’s Corner.

Yes, thanks be to the Almighty God, I can now confirm it was all a complete nightmare. The nine month old crater still remains fully intact and getting bigger by the day.

Ah, sure I’ll have to stop eating and exercising just before bedtime and avoid those naps in the middle of the day.

National Famine Commemoration Ceremony In Strokestown, Co. Roscommon

An Taoiseach Mr Micheál Martin informed a National Famine Commemoration ceremony today in Strokestown, Co. Roscommon, that there was no more devastating or traumatic an event in Irish history, than the Great Famine of 1845-1849.

Today’s ceremony also included military honours and a wreath-laying ceremony by ambassadors to Ireland, in remembrance of all those who perished, during this, the last great famine in Europe, caused by the failure of the potato crop over successive years.

Addressing the crowd today, An Taoiseach Mr Micheál Martin said, “It is impossible for us to imagine the feelings of hopelessness, anger and loss experienced by those who suffered through the Famine years.
Famines do not happen in democracies. In fact, there is no recorded account of a famine in a country where the government is freely elected and there was free speech.
I think if you want to know why Ireland didn’t have another famine you will find it in our commitment to self-determination and building a democratic state”.

There was no mention of the Thurles Great Famine Double Ditch demolished by his Fianna Fáil colleagues on the Mill Road, here in Thurles despite several emails sent to his government.

This evening we sent an email to An Taoiseach’s office, asking him to send a copy of today’s address to local Fianna Fáil TD Mr Jackie Cahill and current government supporter Independent TD Mr Michael Lowry.
We trust Mr Cahill will share this address with Fianna Fáil Councillors Mr Sean Ryan and Mr Seamus Hanafin in due course.
[Well, as we are already aware elected Fianna Fáil reps. share everything. View HERE.]

Dublin singer-songwriter Mr Declan O’Rourke also took part in this event, singing two songs from his 2017 album ‘Chronicles of the Great Famine’, namely ‘Poor Boy’s Shoes’ and ‘Go Domhain i do Chiumhne’.

Meanwhile, let’s have a listen to Mr Declan O’Rourke.

Declan O’Rourke – “Poor Boy’s Shoes”

When he met her at the dance, she had flowers in her hair.
There was no girl in this land that could have stood next to her there.
And there everyone could see, how he loved her instantly,
Though he had nothing to give her but his poor boy’s hopes and dreams.

Well he danced with her that summer till it showed on her sweet face.
As she was taken by the warmth of him and all his gentle ways.
Then he swore his love was true
And he married her in poor boy’s shoes.

Well not many years had passed through the grip of his strong hands,
When a great unyielding hunger drew its veil across this land.
His young love soon took ill and with two little mouths to fill,
It took all he could to keep them from the poor house on the hill.
But when his pockets had run dry from crying tears that rang like bells
And their home drew in the wind like an old sea shell.
Then he gathered everything he had to lose,
And he walked them up in poor boy’s shoes.

First God took the little boy,
Then he took the little girl.
And soon their little souls were free from all the sadness in the world.
Their father lifted up his love,
She could no longer walk alone
And from the poor house on the hill,
He took her on the long walk home.

There he felt the cold upon her as he laid her down to rest,
And so he knelt down by her bed and drew her feet up to his chest.
There he tried to warm her cold feet through
And they found him there in poor boy’s shoes.
END