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Phones have not stopped ringing in Thurles today as Organisational groups, Stall holders, Produce Providers and Bands check out the final details regarding the Thurles Christmas Market, taking place on Sunday next, 11th December here in Liberty Square, Thurles from 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm.
Top violinist Edmund Dwan of Autonomous i has been in touch, confirming they will be in attendance at 3.00pm “come rain or shine.”
Organiser Nikki Veasey was in touch to inform me that Phoenix Productions also have agreed to be part of the afternoon’s most marvelous free entertainment. She was also singing the praises of the present Transition Year Students at the Ursuline Convent, who had been extremely helpful to her and Thurles Chamber in organising this major event. She informed me that Thurles Chamber of Commerce have received sponsorship from Shannon Development and Thurles Town Council for this massive undertaking.
Right in the middle of all this a shower of soot falls from my chimney onto the wife’s best carpet, followed by a fellow in a red suit calling himself Santa Clause. He confirmed that he would be arriving in Liberty Square, Thurles, sharp at 1.45pm and wanted all the children to be informed. So please do tell all the children. Before I could even reply, he was up the chimney again like a rocket, leaving me to clean up the soot.
While the Christmas Market ends at 6.00pm, another annual event will begin in St.Marys Church here in Thurles, beginning sharp at 7.30pm and also on Sunday 11th December.
Yes I speak of “Carols by Candlelight.” Now do be careful here. Note: Please do not confuse this event with tickets (Red coloured) you may hold for “Christmas By Candlelight,” which you will be attending on Saturday 17th December next. Not surprisingly (And we did warn you,) tickets for this latter event, which is in aid of the Suir Haven, Thurles Cancer support centre, are possibly all sold out.
But back to “Carols by Candlelight.”on Sunday next, and here again, only about 20 tickets remain unsold for this event, which will feature Ireland’s No 1 Christian band “Cephas,” together with the wonderful local voices of Katie Lawless, Claire Lawless, Rachael Willoughby, Frank Tuohy and Garry Butler, under the music and coral direction of local music supremo, Miss Geraldine Delaney.
Readings for this annual ecumenical “Nine Lessons and Carols” event, will be read by Commandant Michael Walsh, aide de camp to H.E.the President of Ireland, Mayor of Thurles, Councillor John Kennedy, Thurles community leader and published poet Mrs Joan Pollard Carew, Miss Claire Lawless (Cuisle Young Poet of 2010), Miss Rachel Willoughby, Mr Nigel Foxton, Mr Larry Burke, (latter all St Mary’s Restoration Committee Members) to name but a few and all in a wonderful atmosphere of Christmas candlelight.
Proceeds from this latter event will be used for to support the re-opening of St. Mary’s War Museum, closed due to vandalism last year, and all in time for the new tourist season, beginning on May 1st 2012. (Do call 0504-21133 to check ticket availability.)
All in all there is something to suit the mood of everyone, and Thurles is most definitely the place to be this weekend.
 Take a walk on the 'Wild Side,' in Upperchurch this weekend. The scenic upland village of Upperchurch will celebrate their sixth successful annual ‘Walking Weekend,’ on this Saturday and Sunday, with a variety of walks to suit all levels of fitness.
For the first time the event will feature a leisurely family cycle over 25 km. Other social event will take place over the weekend also, including traditional music sessions and set dancing lessons, not to mention good old sing alongs and a chance to meet old friends and make new ones.
A reception tonight (Friday) will feature interesting and entertaining speakers, covering a variety of topics. Gearóid Fitzgibbon will give an account of his humanitarian work in Palestine working for the U.N., while Thurles man, Tom Carey, will discuss and demonstrate essential cycle maintenance. Other speakers will discuss and show photographic slides related to their varied mountain walking experiences on Kilimanjaro, Ben Nevis, the Atlas Mountains and Mont Blanc.
Many successful entries from the primary and post primary school’s poster competition will also be on display over this weekend with winners being announced tonight.
This year the longest and most difficult walk will be the 18km “Hills of Upperchurch Route,” taking place on Saturday morning, beginning at 10.00 am sharp. This walk is only suitable for very fit experienced walkers and features several steep climbs and a rope assisted descent. But of course there are also eight other less difficult walks which can also be enjoyed, by the less “fleet of foot,”as part of this most enjoyable of upland weekends.
If you like good company, chat, an event which can be shared by all the family, easy exercise, great entertainment and a personal challenge, then Upperchurch is the place to be this weekend.
Events Program in Upperchurch this weekend
Friday Nov. 11th. 8.30 pm: Reception and official opening in Upperchurch Hall. Guest Speakers. Poster competition entries winners announced.
Sat. Nov. 12th. 10.00 am: Hills of Upperchurch Walk. (18 km -Time approx 6 hrs.) 12.00 noon. Red Hugh and Knockalough Walks – 6 km and 10 km – Time approx 2hrs and 3 hrs. 12.30 pm. Eamon an Chnoic Loop. (8 km – Time approx 2 ½ hrs.) Entertainment: 5.00 pm. Set dancing lessons. 9.30 pm. Traditional music session.
Sun. Nov 13th. 11.00 am: Lowland Mystery Tour. Starting Rosmult on the Thurles-Upperchurch road. (14 km – Time Approx 4½ hrs.)
12.00 noon: Red Hugh and Knockalough Walks. 12.30 pm: Eamon an Chnoic Loop. 12.30 pm: Birchill Nature Trail. Start Rosmult.
1.00 pm: Begins the 25 km Leisurely Family Cycle. Starting in Upperchurch. Note: Cycling Helmets compulsory and all children must be accompanied by adult.
Registration Fees: All walks and the Family Cycle are:- Adults €10, Children €5 euro. Costs include complimentary refreshments at all events.
Enjoy your visit, but remember, as in all walking adventures, do bring stout walking shoes, a camera, suitable rain wear, a snack and fluid.
 We live in a climate where we all now must learn to create more jobs from less available work and that is why my recent brief encounter with overpaid, protected semi-state company employees and politicians, leaves me foaming at the mouth. Read on Tipperary and weep.
As one member of a newly formed tourism group, Hidden Tipperary, (None of the members of which, I should point out, stand to benefit one red cent from Tourism. ) I decided to run a “Bargain Weekend Away History Break” in Thurles.
Thanks to the management of the Anner Hotel, St.Mary’s Famine Museum, Thurles Library and the Thurles GAA Museum, a bargain package was put together to compliment our National Heritage Week. Our package was priced at a give away €60 inclusive, encompassing two nights B&B plus one evening meal, one free Cabaret, with free admission to all museums and four free history lectures from, dare I claim, the best in the business. Unlike recent promoted events in Thurles, our aim was to keep spending revenues within the town, so our product, in every respect, was fully home grown.
Advertising the event first began on the Internet, targeting Irish lovers of history. I then turned to Tourism Ireland’s UK office of Fáilte Ireland where details of our proposed events were sent, with the hope that the British people would be informed that a cheap weekend away was available in Thurles, which after all it is the ancestral home of the British Royal family, something which Shannon Tourism and Fáilte Ireland continue to not recognise and refuse to market. My next target was Fáilte (Failter) Ireland here at home, and finally Active Retirement Groups. Very quickly I learned that Tipperary is not the focus of Irish tourism sales. Please read on.
Continue reading Failter Ireland Not Promoting Tipperary Tourism
 Shannon Oaks Hotel There are no reports of any injuries or the cause of a fire which has extensively damaged the Shannon Oaks Hotel in Portumna, close to the Tipperary border in Co Galway.
The well known Hotel and County Club, situated on St Joseph’s Road and which overlooks the 1,500 acre Earl of Clanricarde estate, alerted the emergency services shortly after 1.00pm this afternoon.
Six units of the fire service from Galway and Tipperary arrived to the scene and some 60 employees and some 20 guests were evacuated.
A management spokesman said the hotel would be forced to remain closed for sometime, but that there was no immediate threat to the jobs of the present workforce.
It is believed that the fire was mainly confined to the kitchen area, where the blaze may have broken out, and the action of fire fighters successfully prevented the fire from spreading to the wings either side of this main blaze.
The emergency services obtained additional water supplies from the hotel swimming pool and the local Marina.
An investigation is now underway into the cause of this fire. The hotel is a particularly well know local wedding venue, servicing the counties of Galway, Tipperary and Limerick.
 While most of Ireland has received a clean bill of health in the first round of the latest survey by Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL), Dublin has been slammed for its worst result in years. Large parts of our Capital City, including the approach roads from Dublin Airport as well as the North inner city, were found to be heavily littered, branding Dublin City as a “Litter Black-spot.”
The league table of just 53 areas across the country showed two thirds of towns and cities to be clean to European norms, among them the cities of Waterford, Galway and for the first time, Cork. Also for the first time since the League began, Killarney Co Kerry took the coveted accolade of cleanest town, with the An Taisce examiners calling it “A superb result for our No.1 tourist town.”
The cleanliness rating for the country as whole was the highest since IBAL began its surveys ten years ago, with over 20 towns deemed to be cleaner than their European equivalents.
Results for Tipperary, however, demonstrate mixed fortunes, in this IBAL Anti Litter League’s 1st Round Results for 2011, with the towns of Tipperary and Clonmel branded as “Littered.”
Congratulations however to the town of Nenagh, branded as “Littered,” in 2009, it has now greatly risen in the ranks and is now listed as “Clean to European Norms.”
Thurles Town did not come under the scrutiny of IBAL in their latest findings, however it was found “Clean to European Norms,” both in 2009 and 2010.
Source Of Irish Litter
Surprisingly Sweet wrappers were found to be the most prevalent source of national litter at 61%, not surprisingly Fast Food wrappers at 51%, Cigarette butts 45%, Plastic Bottles 36%, Chewing gum 34%, Plastic Bags 29%, Cans 26%, Glass Bottles 18%, Coffee Cups 14%, Dog fouling 11%, ATM dockets 10%, Bus / Train tickets 8%, Promotional flyer’s 8%.
Graffiti does not get a mention, however, IBAL has warned that the rise in vacant and derelict properties is contributing greatly to increases in litter and unsightliness in certain areas of the country.
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