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 St Mary's Church, Thurles, burial place of Elizabeth Butler (alias Poyntz) progenitor of the present Heirs to the British Crown. According to reports, by our top Tipperary Radio station ‘Tipp FM,’ today, we learn that Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of England will visit Cashel and Coolmore Stud near Fethard, Thurles, Co. Tipperary, during her forthcoming historic visit to Ireland in May.
Deputy Tom Hayes has announced that a trip to South Tipperary will be included on Queen Elizabeth II’s itinerary, when she visits as speculation still surrounds this two-day state visit, beginning Tuesday, May 17th, though this date has yet to be fully officially confirmed. Confirmation of her visit to South Tipperary, however, was given to Deputy Hayes by Taoiseach Enda Kenny.
“The Queen’s visit will be a huge boost for the County“, Deputy Hayes stated on Tuesday evening. He said he had made strong representations for the Queen to come to South Tipperary and he was very happy with the commitment that Taoiseach Enda Kenny had given him.
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s visit will be the first to the Irish Republic by a reigning British monarch since her grandfather George V visited Ireland in 1911.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch here in Thurles, Political leaders, Tourism Marketing Groups, County Councillors, Urban District Councillors and those with paid responsible for promoting Thurles, have once again failed their public in promoting Thurles and North Tipperary.
Fifteen miles up the road from Cashel, lies the town of Thurles, the ancestral home of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Yet, as far as I am aware, no invitation or representation has been made to indicate, nay insure, that Her Majesty visits Thurles her home town, during this her first visit to Ireland.
It would now appear that there are more public representatives in North Tipperary requiring ‘motions of censure’ than Mr Michael Lowry TD.
In the days when Urban District Councillors received no pay, just expenses, made real decisions regarding our community and were not associated with individuals who write identifiable misspelled anonymous poison pen letters to the local press, we had governance. Amongst their many progressive decisions made was the raising of a plaque to commemorate Elizabeth Butler, progenitor of the present Heirs to the British Crown, which they erected at St Mary’s Church in Thurles.
In those unpaid days, these Councillors knew the value of visitors from across the water.
Now, in possibly a waisted attempt to educate our present overpaid Councillors, allow me to demonstrate the unharnessed value of English Tourism to our town, through statistics shown hereunder, supported by the Irish Central Statistics Office (CSO).
Estimated Number of Overseas Visitors to Ireland 2000-2007 (‘000’s.)
Visitors to Ireland – Year:—-2000.– 2001.– 2002.–2003.–2004.—2005.–2006.—2007.
Great Britain:——————-—-3,559.—3,462.—3,579.—3,719.—3,681.—3,822.–4,060.—4,032.
Other Europe:——————–—1,453.—1,357.—1,392.—1,497.—1,600.—1,917.–2,281.—2,590.
USA and Canada:—————--1,043.——912.—–849.—–904.——977.——953.—1,055.—1,073.
Other Areas:—————————256.—–260.——245.—–249.——317.—– 285.——314.——317.
Total Overseas Visitors:——-6,310.—5,990.—6,065.–6,369.– 6,574.—6,977.—7,709.—8,012.
Failure to study these figures and act, gives licence and credence to “Ireland : A Rough Guide: distributed by the Penguin book Group, to publish the following untruths:- “Having seen the Rock of Cashel, most people head out of Tipperary for the West, and frankly this isn’t a bad idea – the north of the county has little to distract you.” “You’re unlikely to be immediately enticed by a first sight of counties Tipperary and Waterford, much of whose countryside could well vie for the title of Ireland’s dullest.”
I am at pains to point out, of course that this information contained is “Ireland : A Rough Guide,” is always to found under the armpit of every American tourist who visits our Fair Green Isle. Perhaps our Public Representatives and Marketing Groups, presently over funded, while charged with the responsibility of promoting our public and business interests locally, would like to use this website, to explain to our Hoteliers, Nightclubs, Bed and Breakfasts, other Local Businesses, and, I nearly forgot, our numerous unemployed people, why they have failed to take advantage of this golden business opportunity, afforded us. Indeed I suspect that the wonderful American poet Robert Lee Frost in writing ‘The Road Not Taken‘ had just read this aforementioned ‘Comic Travel book.’ Quote:
“Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both,
And be one traveler, long I stood, And looked down one as far as I could,
To where it bent in the undergrowth;( ‘Undergrowth possibly refers to Thurles ‘) Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear.”
Remember, our valued 1,000 plus readers who visit this website each day, could see your future silence, as an admission of failure and worthlessness, so do explain the reasons for your lack of any progressive action please. See your chance to explain as a perfect opportunity for further self seeking publicity, which we can afford you and which you seek ever so diligently, through local press reports.
We, just like the present Fine Gael party, stand for H.O.T – Honesty, Openness,Transparency, so let’s publicly debate these issues very soon.
“We know you all, and will awhile uphold the unyoked humour of your idleness,” (With apologies to William Shakespeare‘s Henry IV, Part 1)
 The Source Arts Centre The arts here in Co Tipperary are set for a major financial boost following the announcement of nearly €400,000 in funding from the Arts Council.
The Arts Council has confirmed it will invest in five Tipperary organisations around the county, based on their already proven track record to date.
The organisations to benefit are as follows:-
Source Arts Centre Thurles, who will benefit to the tune of €65,000.
North Tipperary County Council Arts Office,who will receive €105,000.
Clonmel Junction festival, in South Tipperary, who will receive €118,750.
South Tipperary County Council arts office, to receive €69,358.
Tipperary Excel Heritage Company, who will benefit to the tune €37,500.
 US President Barack Obama accepts invitation from An Taoiseach Enda Kenny Its official, US President Barack Obama has accepted an invitation from An Taoiseach Enda Kenny, to visit Moneygall, latter situated on the borders of Offaly and Tipperary, here in Ireland, this coming May.
Speaking at the end of a meeting in the Oval Office with Taoiseach Enda Kenny, President Obama said he is looking forward to visiting Ireland. The President stated ‘I want to say today, that I intend to come to Ireland in May, but the date of the visit has yet to be finalised.’
He said he is ‘excited ‘ about visiting all the famous sites, but also to visit the place his great, great, great, great, great, grandfather hails from, in Moneygall. Taoiseach Enda Kenny stated the visit was a vote of confidence in the Irish people, at a time of great fiscal difficulty.
The Taoiseach assured the US President of a rapturous welcome, and said jokingly that if he wanted a round of golf he would be happy to join him.
President Obama joked back, that he had heard Mr Kenny was a good golfer, so he himself would have to practice.
On a more serious front, the US president and the Taoiseach also discussed how Ireland will bounce back from economic turmoil. Mr Obama confirmed the willingness of the United States to continue to co-operate with and give practical assistance wherever and whenever possible. “There is just an incredible bond between our two countries,” the president said from the Oval Office.” And that’s one that we want to reaffirm here today.”
Taoiseach Enda Kenny was in the White House meeting Mr Obama today for the traditional St Patrick’s Day presentation of shamrock.
Last night, Mr Kenny addressed around 1,000 guests at the annual gala dinner of the American Ireland Fund. The American Ireland Fund is aiming to raise $100m for Irish charities by the end of 2013.
Enda Kenny’s also had meetings with Vice President Joe Biden and US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner.
Click for UPDATE
 Barack Obama, 44th President of the United States USA’s 31st Irish President Barack Obama and Queen Elizabeth II are likely to visit Ireland in late May or early June of 2011.
In the case of President Obama his visit is likely to coincide with other European engagements. “The end of May is likely,” said an official, familiar with discussions regarding Mr Obama’s forthcoming trip to Europe. Records unearthed by the Church of Ireland’s Rev. Canon Stephen Neill show beyond doubt that Mr Obama’s ancestors, on his mother’s side lived, worked, married and had children in the Moneygall area, situated on the border separating counties Tipperary and Offaly. It is expected that the president will wish to visit his ancestral home during this visit.
Mr Obama and his wife, US first lady Michelle Obama, will visit Britain on a state visit at the invitation of Queen Elizabeth II, from May 24th to 26th. He will travel on to Deauville, France, for the G8 Summit on May 26th to 27th. Discussions within the US administration are now focused on whether Mr Obama should visit Ireland before London or after Deauville and the White House hope it is before the UK, visit according to US officials.
Neither the White House, the Irish Embassy in Washington nor indeed the US embassy in Dublin would confirm officially that a visit is likely in late May. Discussions about the trip appear not to have, so far, involved the Irish government, with the speculation that the US are waiting for Irish politics to be fully clarified over the coming week.
 Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II The annual St Patrick’s Day pilgrimage to Washington will be one of the first acts of our new Taoiseach Enda Kenny and if the May expected visit materialises, a visit is likely to be announced at the White House during the St Patrick’s Day reception.
Democratic congressman Richard Neal, the former head of the Friends of Ireland in the House of Representatives, stated that a visit to Ireland would have obvious implications for Mr Obama’s re-election campaign.
Planning in relation to both visits is somewhat complicated by the fact that Irish President Mary McAleese has already issued an invitation to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, to visit Ireland, probably also in late May or June.
Regarding Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s II visit, there may be a reluctance on the part of the Irish government to take on two such important visits so close together, however these logistics are something that both governments will be anxious to negotiate.
Queen Elizabeth II, although she has never visited Thurles, has strong ancestral connections with the town and is a direct descendant of Viscount and Lady Thurles through their eldest son, the Duke of Ormond. The Duke’s daughter, Elizabeth, married Philip Stanhope, 2nd Earl Chesterfield, and their daughter Elizabeth Stanhope married John Lyon, 4th Earl Strathmore. Six generations later in direct line was the 14th Earl Strathmore whose daughter, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon married the future King George VI; and these are the grandparents of Prince Charles. Thurles is therefore expected to be included as a stop off point in any proposed future visit.
Many of Queen Elizabeth’s ancestors are buried at St. Mary’s Church here in Thurles, including Lady Elizabeth Butler,(Elizabeth Poyntz, Acton, 1673.) from whom she inherited her christian name. Sophie Helen Rhys-Jones, wife of Prince Edward attended a funeral on behalf of the British Royal Family in November last, here in Upperchurch, Thurles, Co Tipperary.
On March 3rd next, Shannon Development, in conjunction with Failte Ireland will, once again, hold their annual Shannon Region tourism briefing. This briefing will take place in the Radisson Blu Hotel, Ennis Rd, Limerick with registration at 10.30am (starting time 11am).
The Shannon Development team will be joined by executives from Failte Ireland as well as Tourism Ireland to present our plans for 2011.
Shannon Development hope that those involved in the tourism industry will be in a position to join them on the day and they look forward to meeting with as many members of the industry as possible, because your input is vital to their work.
This event is also a useful opportunity to network with peers in the tourism sector and to exchange ideas.
RSVP: If you are planning to attend, please rsvp to Bernadette Kelly, Tel: 061 710433. Email: kellyb@shannondevelopment.ie
Shannon Development also launched a new school tours brochure on Wednesday last in an effort to capitalise on the potential of the school tours business for Tipperary.
St.Mary’s Famine Museum, here in Thurles has been attracting school tours for the past 10 years, not only from County Tipperary, but also from surrounding counties, particularly from Limerick, Cork, Offaly and Kilkenny. The Museum offers lecture facilities to all visitors and students and the opportunity to examine at first hand primary sources from the Great Famine period 1845 to 1849 in accordance with the Irish Department of Education history guidelines.
The Museum which is open to the public from May1st to September 31st, each year is also available to tour groups all year round by appointment.
Contact: Telephone: 0504-21133 or Email: george.willo@gmail.com
Amongst its many attractions are the only surviving records of a Famine Food Committee, a detailed record of relief given by local Soup Kitchen’s in 1846/47, plus a model of the town of Thurles 16ft x 8ft, as it was in 1846, recorded by a then civil servant, Thomas Hegarty.
Starting this month, a copy of the “School Tours 2011 in Ireland’s Shannon Region” will be distributed to every secondary school in the country and to all primary schools in the region and surrounding counties.
A major marketing blitz is also planned for the U.K. market.
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