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Skoda Poised To Sponsor Tipperary Hurling

A reports in yesterday’s Irish Examiner claims that the Tipperary County Board are shortly expected to announce Skoda Motors as their new jersey sponsor.

The Czech company are currently in talks with a number of public relations companies about promoting their commercial interests, and it is understood that a deal with the Tipperary board is very close to agreement.

Skoda refused to comment when questioned yesterday while Tipperary secretary Tim Floyd has said the sponsorship issue could take a few weeks to finalise.

However, the new sponsorship deal is understood to be at an advanced stage and could be announced before the All-Ireland champions’ Allianz League Division One opener against Kilkenny this day week.

Tipperary Casino Venue To Get Oral Hearing

An Bord Pleanála have decided to hold an oral hearing into the proposed  Tipperary Venue  project, mooted by businessman and former garda, Richard Quirke, on his 900 acre site near Two-Mile-Borris, outside Thurles, Co Tipperary.

North Tipperary County Council has already granted planning permission to Mr Quirke for his development, known as ‘The Tipperary Venue‘, but that decision was since been appealed to An Bord Pleanála by An Táisce and others.

No date as to when the hearing will take place is publicly known, but full details are expected to be announced shortly with the hearing likely to take place in the coming weeks.

Model of proposed Two-Mile-Borris Casino

The proposed project would includes a 500-bedroom hotel, equestrian centre, horse racing course, greyhound racing track, 15,000-seat indoor entertainment venue, and a replica of the White House in memory of its designer, Kilkenny born architect James Hoban.

Fianna Fail supporter and Independent TD Michael Lowry, who is supporting the €460 million casino project, to be situated near the village of Two-Mile-Borris in Tipperary, had been turning up the heat on Fianna Fail for the report and  publication of the new Gaming Laws and has always denied that the Coalition’s sudden interest in changing these gaming laws was not a precondition for his support of last December’s budget.

However, some supporters of Fianna Fáil last December did privately express a sense of unease, regarding the building of another ‘Ghost Structure’ in the Irish countryside, thereby putting the welfare of a few gamblers above the welfare of the whole nation.

Many people feel that this project will takes money out of the pockets of a large number of people, while funnelling it into the pockets of a smaller number. Many claim that the promise of jobs, by this project, always tend to be filled by foreign workers desperate but content to earn a crust for basic minimum wages.

Thurles businesses have also expressed reservations regarding the longer term outcome of this project, feeling it will eventually undermine and eradicate existing services and jobs already firmly established within this area.

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Tipperary Native Trevor Hogan Forced To Retire

Leinster’s Rugby second-row Trevor Hogan has been forced to retire from the game because of a knee injury.

The 31-year-old Tipperary native, who was capped four times for Ireland over a seven-year professional career, has finally had to give up, following medical advice.

Trevor, who attended Nenagh CBS and Dublin City University, played with Nenagh Ormond, Dublin University and Blackrock College RFC before joining Shannon RFC in 2002, whom, the latter, he helped to victory in the All-Ireland League.

Trevor made his first start for Munster in 2003, where he went on to win 57 caps, 5 in the Heineken Cup. While at Munster, he won his first Irish cap in 2005 against Japan during the Lions Tour.

He since went on to win 3 caps for the National side, to win 23 caps, including 7 Heineken cup caps, scoring 2 tries in the process.

He played for Munster until 2006, before joining Leinster in the 2006 season, and was part of the squad which won the Magner’s League in 2007-08 and the Heineken Cup the following year.

Injury severely hampered his involvement with Leinster this season, and his last game was against Dragons in November last. In all, he has made fifty nine appearances for the province, on top of fifty seven appearances for Munster

He has cited his decision to retire from rugby, at all levels, on forced medical grounds, caused by persistent knee injuries over the last number of years.

Charity Race Night At Thurles Greyhound Stadium

Thurles Greyhound Stadium

Everyone of us enjoy a night at the dogs and next month people will have the opportunity to bring the whole family Greyhound racing  in aid of a very worthy cause.

On February 26th next the Irish Greyhound Board will host its first ever multi venue family benefit night, in aid of Down Syndrome Ireland.

In association with the Irish Examiner, the event will take place across 10 locations including Thurles Greyhound Stadium, with all funds raised being distributed both nationally and to regional branches of Down Syndrome Ireland.

Tickets to this family friendly evening will include access to all races, plus a race programme. All venues involved in Tipperary will have entertainment, goodie bags for children, raffles and auctions, as well as all the thrill of the chase.

There will also be a weekend break for two up for grabs at each venue, courtesy of Select Hotel Ireland.

Head of Marketing for the Irish Greyhound Board, Orla Strumble, said the organisation were delighted to be involved in this worthy fund raiser.

Family tickets for the night cost just €20 for 2 adults and up to 4 children while individual tickets will cost €10.

Remember the Date – February 26th 2011Thurles Greyhound Stadium.

Tipperary Hurler Jimmy ‘Butler’ Coffey Dies Aged 101

Jimmy 'Butler' Coffey. (26th Oct 1909 – 29th Dec 2010)

The death occurred, on December 29th last, of the former Tipperary hurler Jimmy ‘Butler’ Coffey, at the grand old age of 101.

Mr Coffey was born in Chapel Lane, Newport, County Tipperary in 1909.  He played hurling with his local Newport club and was a member of the Tipperary senior inter-county team from 1931 until 1940. Mr Coffey held the distinction of being one of the oldest living senior All-Ireland medal winners and had turned 101 in October 2010.

The Newport native won an All-Ireland medal at wing-forward in 1937 against Kilkenny, marking the legendary Paddy Phelan in a game played in Killarney, due to on-going work at Croke Park. The press report on the All Ireland final against Kilkenny at Killarney stated: “The half forward line composed of Doyle, Treacy and Coffey was outstanding.  The Newport man, assuredly one of the best forwards to don the county colours for several years, was the best of the three.  Opposed by Paddy Phelan, who had made the entire Tipperary forward line look like novices in an earlier league game in Carrick-on-Suir, Coffey careered around, a bundle of energy.  As a resolute and determined hurler, possessed of great stamina and dash, he kept ‘hell for leather’ after his rival for fifty yards.  Most hurlers would have given up – but not Coffey.  He not alone overtook his opponent but dispossessed him and sent the ball flying goalwards with a great delivery.”

The Coffey brothers Jimmy Jack and Mick recorded a unique achievement in 1935 when all three of them shared the substitutes bench for the senior championship game against Limerick here in Thurles.

He also collected a Railway Cup medal in 1938 on a star studded Munster team which included former Jack Lynch.

For his club, Mr Coffey won North Tipperary senior championship medals in 1932 and 1935.

Following his retirement from inter-county hurling, he played club hurling in Limerick, winning county senior hurling medals in 1947 and 1948 with Ahane.

He trained the Cappamore team that brought county titles to the parish in both junior and senior grades. He was also a selector with Mick Mackey on the Limerick team that won the Munster title in 1955.

Mr Coffey was buried, following Requiem Mass at Cappamore Church, on Saturday last at 11.30am in Ballinure Cemetery.

Ar Dheis Dé go raibh a anam uasal.