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 It has been officially confirmed, Thurles is between nowhere and nowhere, in Ireland’s grand scheme of things, all thanks to the time wasting of those we elected to represent our interests, both presently and in the past.
I refer of course to the slow decision making process in the choosing of the preferred route for the N62 by-pass for Thurles which has now, at last, been decided. The proposed 8-kilometre by-pass was chosen by the Mid West Design team over two other options and will consist of a 100 metre-wide corridor to the east of the town stretching from Brittas to Turtulla.
This proposed single carriageway by-pass will run from Brittas through to Turtulla via Loughtagalla, the Moyne Road and the Dublin Road and will require four roundabouts and three river crossings without the demolition of any present existing structure.
This final decision will now also allow other corridors under review and situated west of the town, halted from immediate development, to revert to their previous zoning status.
Details of this plan can be viewed by the public from Tuesday next through to November 10th at Town Council offices on Slievenamon Road Thurles, the Council Civic Offices in Nenagh and at Thurles Library in the Source, Cathedral St.
We are unlikely, however, to see the usual gombeen type press releases from politicians, each claiming to have delivered on this 10 year promise. So, before local residents begin jumping for joy, believing they will no longer have to witness the daily chaos caused by HGVs maneuvering around Liberty Square from the town’s very narrow, tight side streets, there is a catch. Well a €48 million catch to be precise, so there is no immediate prospect of this by-pass ever being built in North Tipperary’s present political and financial climate.
Our only ray of sunlight, perhaps is the freeing up of hundreds of acres of land which has been effectively sterilised due to the planning process.
Ah, sure as me granny used to say “If it wasn’t for venetian blinds sure it would be curtains for us all.”
God knows, if it were raining soup, our hard pressed local Town Councillors would be out there standing, holding knives and forks. Only just back from the seaside and with local footpaths still not repaired since the tremors of our last earthquake, sure you would think they had enough problems for the weeks ahead.
 But as the poet, Billy Shakespeare, once said to me “When trouble comes they come not in single spies, but in battalions,” and true to form, now our strategic escape route, Thurles road bridge, is falling down.
The bridge’s problems are visible on the north west side facing Pheasant Island, where two dressed limestone triangular cutwater supports, protecting arch supports are now about to collapse.
I do not want to panic any of our residents, but I worry that the large numbers of unemployed workers, heading out of this forgotten town to experience adventure on the emigrant trail, could find themselves marooned, until after the rainy season.
(Click on image for larger photo.)
Barry’s Bridge, in Thurles, to give it it’s true title, has provided passage over the river Suir, since it was originally built circa 1650. It remained unchanged until circa 1820, when its upper, side protection walls were partially reconstructed, removing two semi circle areas, which had provided safety to pedestrians from splashes from high speeding coaches and galloping horses. In the twentieth century both of these walls were removed and replaced by steel railings and the bridge road surface also was widened with a pedestrian footpath added on the south side.
This original 17 century bridge was constructed using a combination of rubble and dressed limestone materials, and has provided textural variation and interest, which gave scenic value to the amenity areas to the south and north. (Well it did until certain individuals placed assorted pipes and wires across its seven beautiful arches.)
Only one Thurles Councillor, so far, has asked Co Council engineers to inspect the bridge, but he states “there is no cause for panic,” however to use the famous riposte spoken by Mandy Rice-Davies, a Welsh former model and showgirl, best known for her role in the Profumo affair, “Well, he would, wouldn’t he?”
 Speed Camera Vans Judge Mary Devins dismissed two cases taken against motorists over in Castlebar, Co Mayo last week. The accused had been supposedly detected breaking speed limits by Ireland’s new speed camera van system.
The two defendants informed the court that they had never received fixed penalty notices in the post, informing them that they had been detected speeding and therefore did not pay the imposed fine.
Mr Padraic Sammon of Go Safe Ireland, latter which operates these speed camera vans, giving evidence to the court, explained that always at the end of his daily shift, he submits all the information to his headquarters, which in turn forwards this on to the Garda department located in Thurles, Co Tipperary, which then communicates a ‘Fixed Charge Penalty Notice,’ to offenders where applicable.
Judge Devins having heard the defendants excuses, informed the court: “I have no evidence that these fixed charge notices are issued, it’s putting a huge presumption on me that they are. This is a huge issue, I’m not in a position to just rubber stamp that they are.”
Gardaí are understood to have then withdrawn a third prosecution against another accused motorist, because of the judge’s ruling in the two previous cases, thus saving valuable court time.
The monetary long term value of a proposed cycle lane, to be developed as a joint project between Limerick County Council and North Tipperary County Council, along the old R445, and due to start in early October (To finish by the end of the year,) must surely and immediately be called into question by those still sane in our community.
 Dublin's rough surface cycle paths crying out for maintenance This proposed planned route will run from the Stereame Roundabout on the R445 via the Carrigatoher Junction in Birdhill, through to the Carrowkeel Junction on the east side of Limerick city and from there to the Annacotty Roundabout, immediately west of the Mulcair River.
The funding for this proposed project has been secured as part of a €4million Department of Transport plan, to create cycle lanes on our national potholed roads, and has been much criticised, even by cyclists as “Poor use of public money.”
Firstly, it seems that no past lessons have been learned by our present government and the nonsense rule of ‘Use money or lose it,’ still remains and continues to dominate the wise decision making process. Under this rule of ‘Using money or losing it,’ as is the case with this project, the usual decision is always use it, regardless of the fact that it makes no sound productive or financial sense.
Many travel groups have suggested that this money could be better spent on more worthwhile projects such as road realignments, potholes, removal of present traffic hazards or on the forgotten town pedestrian footpaths, the latter which presently cry out for repairs here in Thurles.
Many also see this €4million Department of Transport plan, recently hailed by Minister for State, Mr Alan Kelly, as the answer to unemployment in North Tipperary, as being nothing more than a ‘Lets be seen to create jobs scheme,’ that simply ignores the cyclists’ real needs for a safer interaction between motorised vehicles and bicycle riders on our public roads. While this project will create some work for those already employed, it’s benefit to the presently unemployed will be minuscule if any and certainly short lived.
Yes, cycling numbers in Dublin have increased, but are still a long way short of the previous Government’s dream targets, foreseeing 10% of trips to work by bike, being undertaken by the year 2020. Soon, more of the public purse will be spent in the Dublin area, on increased bike parking, segregated cycle lanes, lowering speed limits for motorised traffic and mandatory laws introduced, forcing employers to provide better facilities for cyclists with the introduction of showers and lockers in the work place. It is not unreasonable to foresee a road tax on bicycles now being introduced, after all who would have foreseen a tax on one of mankind’s basic human rights, I refer of course to the limed, chlorinated, Escherichia Coli ridden infected water, currently pumped to many householders in the land.
Continue reading Tipperary Cycle Lane Waste Of Taxpayers Money
 The Tipperary Senior Hurling Team Homecoming will take place at 7:30pm this evening (Monday|) in Semple Stadium.
A large crowd is expected to turn out to welcome back their heroes, who proudly represented Co. Tipperary so gallantly against our major rivals Kilkenny yesterday in Croke Park.
Despite their defeat yesterday, Tipperary people will wish to show their support to the men, who wore the ‘blue and gold,’ with such pride all year, and who gave us so much sporting enjoyment.
So if you are travelling by road, do expect some traffic disruption around the Thurles area later this evening, particularly west of the town.
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