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Thurles Rotary Club – Events St. Stephen’s Day 2015

Are you wondering what to do with yourself on this upcoming St Stephens day 2015 in Thurles? Well to use that well known Christmas biblical phrase from St. Luke 2:10-11 “Fear not: for, behold, we bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.”

Picture shows: L-R – Sean Spain (Former President Thurles Rotary), James Doran, Sean Doran, Dillon Skehan, Nicola Skehan, Michael Wright (Thurles Rotary President) and John O’Shaughnessy (Thurles Chamber President), at the launch in the Anner Hotel, Thurles today, of the 2nd Annual Rotary Challenge.

Thurles Rotary Club, latter originally founded in 1988, have again this year put together an organising team to work on a special Christmas project, thus assisting three worthy local charity organisations with future funding.

President of Thurles Rotary Club, Mr Michael Wright has confirmed that the club will now endeavour to lend a helping-hand to: ‘The Sean Doran Thurles Fund’, ‘Thurles Guide Dogs for the Blind’ and ‘Mo Chara Animal Rescue’.

“In these difficult times, funding for the above named organisations are particularly low”, stated Mr Wright, “Thurles Rotary Club are now determined to support same from the funding raised at this years Rotary Christmas Challenge (detailed hereunder), taking place on St Stephen’s day 2015 at the Thurles Crokes AC Club House at Nenagh Road, Thurles.”

Run – Walk – Cycle and above all Support Thurles Rotary Christmas Challenge

December 26th 2015 will now see three events taking place at the Thurles Crokes AC Club House, Racecourse (Nenagh) Road, Thurles and which are highlighted as follows:-

NOTE FIRST: Registration for the following events will begin sharp at 10.00 am.

(1) Starting at 11.00am:- A 55k Cycle Event.
(2) Starting at 11.30am:- A 6k Walk.
(3) Starting at 11.30am:- A 6k Fun Run.

Prizes will include:- €70.00 for 1st Men & Women; €40.00 for 2nd Men & Women and €25.00 for 3rd Men & Women. Please note also that Thurles Crokes AC have kindly offered their facilities to assist those taking part to; Park Vehicles, Change Clothing and Take a Shower.

After this event a separate Prize Draw will take place in the Clubhouse, where entertainment will also be provided for a period of time.
Note: Thurles Knights of Malta and Thurles Gardaí are also assisting, where needed, at all four events, in the interests of Health & Safety.

Please if at all possible, do attend and support this event. Entry to Fun Run/Walk costs €10.00, with Cycles costing €20.00 or whatever donation you can afford to give. Cheques can be made payable to Thurles Rotary Local Charities.

Tipperary – Tyson Fury New World Heavyweight Champ

The self-styled boxing professional ‘Gypsy King’ Tyson Fury defeated Ukrainian professional boxer Wladimir Klitschko to claim the WBA, WBO and IBF titles to become Ireland and Britain’s eighth world heavyweight champion at Dusseldorf’s ESPRIT Arena yesterday.

Tyson Luke Fury, aged 27, was born August 12, 1988 into a family from the Irish Traveller community; his grandmother being a native of Co. Tipperary. He has represented both Ireland and England at Amateur Level boxing and acknowledges his Irish fans at most post-fight celebrations.

“I am going to be the first Irish heavyweight champion of the world,” he stated back in November 2012; then ahead of his fight against now retired American, dominant jabbing, boxing professional Kevin Johnston. Last night, true to his prophecy, same came to pass, as judges awarded Tyson his title win, scoring 115-112 twice and 116-111 points respectively.

GAA To Mark 95th Anniversary Of Bloody Sunday Tonight

The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) (Irish: Cumann Lúthchleas Gael) will mark the 95th anniversary of the events of ‘Bloody Sunday’ (November 21st 1920), at a special ceremony in Croke Park tonight, prior to the start of the EirGrid International Rules test between Ireland and Australia.

The aforementioned date will be forever etched into the history of Dublin’s Croke Park Stadium as a result of the tragic events in which 14 adults and children were killed and 60 others wounded, after British soldiers fired on spectators and players attending a Tipperary V Dublin football challenge match.

Those who lost their lives on that fateful day were footballer and Tipperary team member, 24 year old Michael Hogan, whose name today lives on through its attachment to the famous ‘Hogan Stand’ at Croke Park. Thirteen others; namely Jerome O’Leary (10); William Robinson (11); John William Scott (14); Tom Hogan (19); Joe Traynor (21); Jane Boyle (26) (only woman and due to get married five days later); James Teehan (26); Tom Ryan (27); Daniel Carroll (30); Michael Feery (40); James Burke (44); James Matthews (48) and Patrick O’Dowd (57) will also be honoured.

Tonight, as is proper, the lights of Croke Park will be dimmed and 14 flames will be lit on ‘Hill 16’, to represent each of the lives lost on that day and their names will be read out, as part of this special memorial ceremony. For this reason there will be no spectator access to area ‘Hill 16’ for this game and the lit flames will remain burning for the remainder of this evening events.

Flag bearers will lead Uachtarán CLG Aogán Ó Fearghail and Árd Stiúrthóir Páraic Duffy out onto the pitch and to the particular spot where Tipperary’s Michael Hogan was shot. A laurel wreath will then be laid opposite Gate 41 in his and the other deceased spectators memory, followed by a minute of silence.

Tonight’s match programme will contain a specially commissioned piece on these events of 95 years ago, written by journalist Michael Foley, who has written an award winning book on ‘Bloody Sunday’ entitled ‘The Bloodied Field’.

Lovers of history will note that there is currently a display in the Croke Park GAA museum where visitors can view Michael Hogan’s bullet holed Tipperary jersey, as well as the match ball used during play on that fateful day. You can read a brief account of the events which happened on Bloody Sunday by clicking HERE.

Go ndéana Dia trócaire ar a anam dílis.

Temporary Road Closures In Thurles Tomorrow

Motor vehicles exiting or entering the town of Thurles, Co. Tipperary tomorrow (Wednesday 4th November) should please take care and note that road closers will be in place to facilitate the funeral of the late greatly lamented Lieutenant Colonel Jack Griffin R.I.P.

The funeral procession is scheduled to arrive at the Cathedral of the Assumption Thurles, before 1:00pm.

Certain road closures will be in place from 12:00pm–3:00pm including the Slievenamon Road (N62) and Cathedral Street (N75).

Following the Funeral Mass, delays are also expected on Cathedral Street, Mitchell Street and in the vicinity of Loughtagalla (Moyne Road), between 2:00pm and 3:00pm.

Thurles Gardaí are requesting that all drivers should please follow directions as indicated on the day.

Note Also: As a mark of respect for the Late Lieutenant Colonel Griffin, Sunday’s Munster Club SHC Semi Final between Na Piarsaigh and Thurles Sarsfields has now been postponed and is expected to be re-scheduled for Sunday November 15th at 2.00pm at the Ennis Road venue.

Go ndéana Dia trócaire ar a anam dílis.

New Thurles Town Park Opens To Massive Positive Fanfare

The new Thurles Town Park, which opened its gates to the Thurles public for the first time yesterday morning, has been greeted by all and sundry with massive positive vibrations. Our congratulations to Tipperary Co. Council employees, SIAC Construction, all local businesses and residents, who entered into the public consultation process leading up to the parks near completion.

This latest new town-centre venue boasts an all weather seven a side soccer pitch / basket ball court area, a skateboard park, 49 new vehicle parking spaces, two bus parking bays, traffic free walk ways and 10 outdoor gym equipment areas.

By ‘near completion’, I mean there remains still (understandably), some small jobs yet to be undertaken e.g. full completion of landscaping and the re-roofing of the now carefully preserved once old farmyard building; its architecture indicating it was possibly built slightly before or during the Great Famine period (1843 -1848).

During my tour of the new park this afternoon I was fortunate to run into Independent TD Mr Michael Lowry and Templemore /Thurles Municipal Engineer Mr Michael Tierney, latter both surveying the overall project. Despite understandably constant interruptions from delighted mothers; all anxious to congratulate both men on their individual contributions in providing this welcome facility, I gleaned a wealth of information, which I now impart to Thurles.Info readers, who in recent days have expressed certain reservations regarding the future of this ‘state of the art’ project.

Reservations expressed on social media by local residents
Graffiti: Engineer Mr Michael Tierney confirmed that all areas are now fully painted with an anti-graffiti surface coating.
Lighting: Mr Tierney also confirmed that this new amenity area will remain fully lit, at low cost, during the hours of darkness.
Use of CCTV: Presently 8 closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras survey the area on a 24 hour basis. Deputy Lowry is confident that this area can now be monitored on screen, direct to the Thurles Garda Station communications room.
Anti Social Behaviour: Deputy Lowry stated that unacceptable anti social behaviour, for the most part, was not any major problem in Thurles, when compared to large towns in Ireland of similar size. However he was confident and would be recommending that following the next full meeting of the Templemore /Thurles Municipal Council, new bye laws would be introduced to combat any such occasional breaches of acceptable conduct in this area.
Access To WI-FI: Mr Lowry and Mr Michael Tierney both confirmed that free public WI-FI would be made available within this area within the coming months, as soon as a suitable safe and secure accommodation was identified for necessary equipment installation.

Deputy Lowry stated that it was now essential that a tendering process should be hastened, with regards to the re-roofing and restoration of the picturesque salvaged farmyard building, which would further lead to the enhancement of this massive new Thurles amenity.

Deputy Lowry also stated that a huge debt of gratitude was now owing to the local business community, whose rates had financially funded this major new Thurles amenity.

A number of excellent suggestions; latter voiced by visiting mothers to Mr Lowry, have now been passed on to Mr Tierney, all of which will be shortly reviewed, bearing in mind issues of health and safety.

To all involved in any way in this venture – “Congratulations and Well Done”.