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Losing the Grand Slam to Ireland was not bad enough, now England must suffer the blushes brought about by a leaked YouTube video, not to mention the thousands of unwanted commemorative T-shirts, (I said don’t mention the T-shirts) following Saturday’s 24-8 defeat at Aviva Stadium Lansdowne Road.
England’s official kit suppliers Nike produced a special video under the title ‘Grand Slam Champions 2011,‘ which features a montage of Benjamin Foden, (Thurles born Una Healy of The Saturday’s Girl Band fame must be laughing) Toby Flood and Chris Ashton, together with other players, all living the dream in expectation of completing their first Six Nations clean sweep since 2003.
Much to the delight of Tipperary and Munster staunch rugby supporters, it also emerged that Nike had printed 5,000 special limited edition T-shirts, which were due to go on sale after the final whistle at Waterloo, Kings Cross, Euston and Charing Cross train stations.
Still one of these T-shirts could become a collectors item in the future.
Despite their Grand Slam failure, England still claimed the Six Nations championship but find themselves behind Ireland in the world rankings.
“Never count the chickens until they are hatched” I believe is the appropriate quote.
The picturesque village of Clonoulty,Thurles, in Tipperary, is situated in the Golden Vale, latter the richest farm land in Europe. To the casual passing tourist it is just another Irish rural village, displaying very great civic pride, through its well kept appearance.
The village gains “National Prominence” each year when it, together with it’s sister village Rossmore, becomes host to the International Miss Macra Festival, latter which this year celebrates it’s 40th birthday. However tourists take note; there is more to the village of Clonoulty than meets the eye, as my tale will tell.
From a sporting perspective, this area has always been a hive of GAA activity and possibly therefore few are aware of its associations with past Rugby glory, its contribution to World leadership or even it’s British Royal Family connection.
Now with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II due to make her first State visit to Ireland, Thurles, her ancestral home and Clonoulty are both being focused on by Urban District Councillors and County Councillors, anxious to make a good impression and hoping to take full advantage of the much needed tourism that will be generated by Her Majesties visit. While we are aware of her Thurles connections, many may not be aware of the ‘Clonoulty Connection’.
The Clonoulty Connection
Detailed in the Census of 1911 the residents of Srahavarrella, now the home of Thomas Heffernan, in Clonoulty West, Tipperary are as follows:-
Pike William, (Church of Ireland Clergyman.) age 48, Husband and head of the family and a native of Co Mayo.
Harriett Florence Pike (Maiden Name, Surridge.) aged 34, Wife and a native of Dublin City.
Margaret Walker Pike, aged 8, a daughter, born in Co Kilkenny.
Andrew Hamilton Pike, aged 7, a son born in Co Kilkenny.
Theodore Ouseley Pike, aged 6, a son born in Co Tipperary.
Robert Bonsall Pike, aged 5, a Son, born in Co Tipperary.
Victor Joseph Pike, aged 3, a Son, born in Co Tipperary.
Charlotte Florence Pike, aged 2, a Daughter, born in Co Tipperary.
John Surridge Pike, aged 1, a Son, born in Co Tipperary.
From this information we can glean the villages Irish Rugby Football connection, a world leader and even a British Royal Family connection.
Victor Joseph Pike
Victor Joseph Pike, born July 1, 1907, Clonoulty, Thurles and died February 25, 1986, in Salisbury aged 78 years and 239 days.
Played Rugby for Ireland between 1931-1934, including in the Five Nations at Twickenham, where he made his Ireland Test debuts on the 14th February 1931, in the position of Hooker.
The Irish Team that day were as follows: – SH-Mark Sugden (Capt), FB – Major Egan, W- Edward Lightfoot, C– Eugene Davy, C – Laurence McMahon,W- Joxer Arigho, FH-Paul Murray, H-Victor Pike, N8-Hal Withers, L– Jimmy Farrell, N8– Jack Siggins, L– Jack Russell, F- Noel Murphy, N8– George Beamish, F- James Clinch. Match attendance on the day was 60,000
Victor Joseph Pike CBE CB, went on to become the Anglican Bishop of Sherborne,in the third quarter of the 20th century. He was educated at Trinity College, Dublin and ordained in 1930. His ministry began with a curacy at Dundrum, Dublin, after which he began a long spell as a Chaplain to the Forces, rising eventually to become Chaplain-General.
His Military précis reads:- The Reverend Canon Victor Joseph PIKE,C.B.E., Q.H.C., Chaplain-General to the Forces (53409), Royal Army Chaplains’ Department. REGULAR ARMY RESERVE OF OFFICERS: Ven. Archdeacon V. J. PIKE, C.B., C.B.E., D.D. (53409) Chapln. to the Forces 1st Cl. Having attained the age limit ceases to belong to the Res.of Offrs., 1st Jul. 1967, retaining the rank of Chapln. to the Forces 1st Cl.
After his death a trust was set up to assist in the education of sons and daughters of Protestant clergy.
Continue reading Clonoulty Tipperary: Rugby, Queen Elisabeth II & Miss Macra Festival
 Capt Eoin Kelly Tipperary GAA hurling captain Eoin Kelly has been ruled out of action for the next four weeks after suffering a compound fracture to his finger during the Allianz League Division 1 win over Offaly on Sunday Last.
Kelly also lost a finger nail during the match after he was accidentally trodden on, during the 13-point win in Nenagh.
However this injury won’t prevent him from flying out to Washington to meet President Obama on St Patrick’s Day.
Recently married All-Ireland SHC winning captain Kelly, have deservedly been invited to take part in the White House’s official celebrations as a guest of President Obama, on Thursday next.
NB: Speaking of games/sport, our competition to win the free PS3 computer game ‘Family Game Night Vol 3,‘ finishes to night, so if you haven’t taken part, do take a look at the right hand side of our home page and ‘chance your luck.’
An Taisce representatives have told an oral planning appeals hearing, that the proposed €460m ‘Tipperary Venue‘ is ” ill-conceived and warrants comprehensive refusal.”
 Model of proposed Two-Mile-Borris Casino An oral hearing, is presently taking both written and oral submissions in support of and against, a decision by Tipperary County Council to grant such planning permission.
The Tipperary Venue will include a racecourse, a 500-room hotel, a golf course, a greyhound track, a casino, a 15,000-seater entertainment venue, and parking for 6,000 cars. Other features include a sprint track, an all-weather floodlit track, an equestrian centre, retail outlets, helicopter facilities and a church. Thurles, it would appear is about to move to Two-Mile- Morris.
Developers estimated the proposed project will create immediately 1,000 construction jobs, while it is being built, and another 2,000 jobs are predicted, when the venture is fully complete.
An Taisce, however, told the hearing, which opened in the Horse and Jockey Hotel, Co Tipperary, today, that it had concerns about what it depicted as ‘this overwhelming‘ development. The An Taisce spokesperson estimated that the development would cost up to €30m in increased fuel costs and resulting carbon emissions, because of its remote location. It also warned that this venture would mean the redirection of over 750million litres of river waters from nearby, to facilitate the construction, and that this would have ecological implications for indigenous wild life habitats. An Taisce stated, it would also have implications for the viable futures of both Thurles, Limerick and Tipperary racecourses and the newly established and refurbished greyhound tracks in both Limerick and Thurles.
Some local residents and businesses fear that this venture will destroy the town’s already established developed services and that while some extra short term employment will be gained, in the long term more jobs will be lost or will just transfer from local hotels and businesses forced to close by this new venture. Some also express the view that wealth is being transferred into the hands, once again, of just a few Irish developers and speculators, who will leave the taxpayer to foot the bill yet again.
The oral hearing is expected to continue for a number of days and is due to hear, tomorrow, from a number of parties involved in the horse racing industry, who appear to be backing and therefore in favour of this major development.
Top racehorse trainer Aidan O’Brien and concert promoter Denis Desmond, we are told, are amongst those who have backed the venture, dreamt up by slot-machine tycoon Richard Quirke.
 Marjorie McCorduck Congratulations to Marjorie McCorduck, a member of Roscrea and Courtown golf clubs, on becomming the 32nd president of the ILGU. Marjorie started her two-year term of office following the recent AGM of the Union and succeeds former president M/S Anne Wallace.
Marjorie, a native of Templemore, here in Co Tipperary, has previously held the post of lady captain of Roscrea in 1977 and represented Roscrea and Courtown in Senior Cup on many occasions, having achieved her lowest handicap of four.
Marjorie’s interest in golf has extended far beyond simply playing the game. She served as a District Selector at both Girls’ and Ladies’ level and is a fully qualified Rules Official, acting for the ILGU, LGU and R and A. She has officiated at numerous major overseas golf events including ‘The Open Championship‘ on four occasions and has represented the LGU on the R and A Rules of Golf Committee and CONGU Committee.
Additionally, she is currently a member of the National USGA Course Rating Committee and is a District Scratch Score Assessor working under both the LGU and USGA systems.
Her husband David, daughter Jayne and son Robert are delighted with Marjorie’s nomination for ILGU President and will offer their full support during her two year term of office.
On accepting the post Marjorie stated: “I am pleased and honoured to become the 32nd President of the Irish Ladies Golf Union and look forward to contributing to the ILGU’s ongoing development, also, to meeting many of the lady golfers throughout Ireland at our various ILGU Championships for all age groups.“
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