Tourism - Thurles Information

Tipperary’s Cashel Palace Hotel, Named On Condé Nast Traveler Gold List 2024.

The Cashel Palace Hotel in Cashel, Co Tipperary has been named on Condé Nast Traveler’s Gold List 2024 as one of the best hotels and resorts in the world. View HERE.

Now in its 30th year, Condé Nast Traveler Gold List, is an annual miscellany of the very best hotels and resorts in the world, highly recommend by the luxury travel publication’s global editors.

The only hotel in Ireland to make the list, this newly-renovated 300-year-old Cashel Palace Hotel can be found situated at the base of the 12th-century Rock of Cashel, [E25 EF61], latter one of Ireland’s most historic sites and well known to visitors for its pencil-shaped round tower, Cathedral and Romanesque chapel.

Palladian in style, Cashel Palace hotel’s red brick facade contrasts with its limestone rear, and while the rear aspect of the building mirrors the front; the use of different materials makes it rare for a building of this period. Now newly and fully restored by the Coolmore Stud thoroughbred-training family, latter governed by Mr John Magnier, this Palladian manor is truly “a must visit”.

The building was initially designed as the residence for the Church of Ireland Archbishop Theophilus Bolton, in 1732, and designed by one of the pre-eminent architects of that period, Sir Edward Lovett Pearce (1699-1733), latter one of the most celebrated architects of the time, who in 1720 designed Dublin Castle; – in 1726 Drumcondra House; in 1727 the Obelisk, Stillorgan, Dublin, and in 1728 designed Dublin’s impressive Parliament House – now the Bank of Ireland* in College Green, Dublin.

*[A wit then quipped, on August 24th 1802 when the Bank took possession of Parliament House, “Since to a Bank, as ‘tis asserted, our House of Commons is converted; what most we want will be there, in place of what we best can spare.”]

It was in the 20th century that this bishops palace was first turned into a hotel, which then boasted such former guests as Miss Elizabeth Taylor and the late US President Mr Ronald Regan.

Condé Nast Traveler Gold List refer to the staff as “a well-oiled team that’s worked together for years”, and the buildings welcome being “as warm as the toasty log fires” in the “hotel’s woodsmoke-scented entrance hall”.

Santa Claus Is Coming To Thurles Town, Co. Tipperary.

In a text message received from Mr Santa Claus, this evening we here at Thurles.Info can confirm that he is arriving here to Thurles tomorrow evening.

Please inform all children.

Tomorrow evening, December 1st 2023, will also see the annual turning on of the Thurles Christmas lights in both Liberty Square and the surrounding streets.

Those wishing to consult with Santa Claus, can call to his ‘Grotto’ in the local Tourist Office on Slievenamon Road, between 6:30pm – 7:30pm same evening, after the lights have been turned on.

Note: Mr Claus will also be in attendance again from 2:00pm until 4:00pm on Saturday December 2nd, 9th and 16th.

[Note: A charge of €3 per child, will insure a gift and sweets.]

Limerick University To Host World Wallball Championships 2024.

Event coincides with 100th anniversary of GAA Handball.

University of Limerick (UL) has been announced as the host venue for the 2024 World Wallball Championships from August 18th to 23rd.

World Champion Conor McElduff; Gerald Mitchell, Mayor of the City and County of Limerick; and Rory Grace of UL Wolves at the announcement in UL today that University of Limerick will host the 2024 World Wallball Championships.

Formerly known as “The World Handball Championships”, the tournament will see more than 750 competitors, from across the world, battle it out on 10 newly constructed courts in one of Ireland’s leading indoor venues, at the UL Sport Arena.

Wallball is the fastest-growing version of the sport of handball with a significant presence in mainland Europe, the UK and the United States. The triennial event is traditionally hosted in rotation by Ireland, the United States and Canada, with Australia also hosting the 1988 event. Ireland last hosted the competition in 2012.

Hosted at UL Sport and supported by UL Events, the Shannon Region Conference and Sports Bureau, Limerick City and County Council, Fáilte Ireland and the Munster Handball Council, next year’s event also coincides with the centenary of GAA Handball.

Welcoming today’s announcement, Mayor of the City and County of Limerick, Cllr. Gerald Mitchell said, “This announcement is another huge win for Limerick and the Shannon Region. This six-day event will make a valuable contribution to the local economy. It helps to further enhance Limerick’s reputation as a sport tourism sport destination as we prepare for the hosting of The 2027 Ryder Cup in Adare.”

Mr Conor McDonnell, GAA Handball President commented, “We are delighted that next year’s World Wallball Championships and Irish Nationals will be staged in world class facilitates of the University of Limerick. This promises to be the biggest and most spectacular handball event ever. GAA Handball want to thank all our partners who have helped make this happen. Please support the Championships by volunteering and participating”.

Mr David Britton, Head of GAA Handball stated, “GAA Handball would like to thank the GAA, Munster Handball Council, Munster GAA and the University of Limerick for all their hard work and support in bringing the 2024 World Wallball Championships to the state-of-the-art UL complex. The event promises to be a fantastic platform for our sport to showcase itself on an international stage. Next year GAA Handball celebrates 100 years as a member of the GAA family, and I could not think of a more fitting way to mark such an important milestone.”

Mr David Ward of UL Events added, “We are delighted to have been chosen as the host venue for the World Wallball Championships, which will see the provision of 10 newly constructed courts at the UL Sport Arena. These World Championships will bring a sporting and economic boost to Limerick with an anticipated 6000 bed nights. We look forward to working with all stakeholders in providing the athletes an amazing one stop shop Olympic Village experience and to showcase the sport of GAA Handball at its very best.”

According to Ms Karen Brosnahan, General Manager of the Shannon Region Conference and Sports Bureau, “The Bureau’s goal is to attract business and sports tourism to The Shannon Region to help underpin services at Shannon Airport and deliver an economic impact to the tourism sector in the region. I want to acknowledge the role of ambassadors who are hugely important in sourcing and winning lucrative tourism business for the Shannon Region. Fáilte Ireland’s support for the region in bidding for international business also has been instrumental in securing this and other events.”

The World Handball Championships take place in UL Arena from August 18th to 23rd, 2024, and will be followed by the 4-Wall (40×20) World Championships, later in the year in Dublin, Kilkenny, Laois and Carlow.

Nightmare On Croke Street, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

We have seen, or at the very least heard of ‘Nightmare on Elm Street’, the 1984 American supernatural slasher film; the plot of which concerns a group of teenagers who are targeted by Freddy Krueger, latter an undead former child killer, who can murder people through their dreams; as retribution against their parents, who burned him alive.

Well our picture above shows ‘Crater on Croke Street’ which today measured 71.12cm (28ins) across at its widest, and 12.7cm (5ins) at its deepest, and which can be found at the junction of Croke Gardens and Croke Street.
The hole, which has grown considerably larger since first observed, has the ability to slash tyres, or break the axle of a vehicles. [Compare its size to the now defunct small Uisce manhole cover.]

So do take care when driving in this area, as local Thurles Municipal Council officials seem to have become entirely unforthcoming with their shovel of cold tarmac and also with regard to their responsibility as highly paid administrators.

Thurles Tourism promoters take note: I bet you won’t see one of these beauties outside Leinster House on Kildare St, Dublin 2.

Attention Local Councillors: Time to chat-up the Minister for Transport as promised at recent talk shop.

Mysterious Altars For Revenge.

Ms Maura Barrett, (Cashel Library) Reports:-

Cashel Library’s resident ‘Witch’, Maura, will gives an illustrated talk on Cursing Stones In Ireland, on Tuesday, October 31st, 2023, beginning at 7:00pm sharp.

Also called a ‘bullaun’ (Irish: bullán; meaning a”bowl”, local folklore often attaches religious or magical significance to these same cursing stones, such as the belief that the rainwater collecting in their hollow also had healing properties.

Ritual use of some stones continued well into the Christian era and many are found in association with early churches. These stones supposedly had ‘cures’ but more importantly they also had the ability to place a curse on individuals.
If you wanted to put a curse on someone, you turned the stones anti-clockwise in the morning, however, the curse had to be unprejudiced and equitable, otherwise your curse would come back to curse you later that evening.