Transport - Thurles Information

Tipperary County Council May Be Unable To Continue Delivering Basic Public Services.

Tipperary County Council may be unable to continue delivering basic public services next year, due to rising inflation costs unless the government reinstates a special funding stream normally provided for local authorities.
Last year, the government made available a special funding stream for local authorities to deal with rising inflation costs., however, no such extra funding for rising inflation will be coming from government this year, for 2024.

This issue, it is believed by officials, could seriously impact on as yet unidentified maintenance; enhancement works; and other various community projects like unnecessary fireworks displays and festivals.

Here in Thurles the already lack of maintenance has been evident for over the past two years, [See pictures attached with more to be published here soon].

**Sign on the Nenagh Road roundabout unattended for weeks, flattened by the rear wheels of an elongated truck.**

A move has been supported by Councillors to now write to the Minister for Finance Mr Michael McGrath TD, and the Minister for Public Expenditure, Mr Paschal Donohoe, expressing grave concerns, and requesting a reversal of this decision.

**Cathedral Street carpark resembling the cratered and pitted surface normally found in lunar geology, and believe me it has never been impacted by any asteroids, meteorites, or comets**.

This issue it is believed could seriously impact on unidentified maintenance; enhancement works, and various community projects.

Could this end up with staff at the lower end of the pay scale finding themselves unemployed, while decision making officials and elected councillors remain sitting back with their feet up, retained on high salaries’ waiting for our financial climate to change.

Once again, we ask the question “What are we getting in return for compulsory Annual Property Tax Payments”.

Status Orange Wind & Rain Warning Issued For Tipperary, Due To Approaching Storm Debi.

Note advice to all schools hereunder.

A ‘Status Red’ wind warning has been issued for counties bordering on Co. Tipperary, as Met Éireann warn of expected extremely gusty winds tonight; courtesy of Storm Debi, and posing a potential danger to life.

According to Met Éireann, when a Status Red warning is issued; which is rare, action should be taken to protect both yourself and your property. So it might be a good idea to check your garden at this time,for items of furniture, children’s play houses, Trampolines, plastic slides etc, all easily moved by high wind gusts.

From midnight on tonight, the whole of Ireland will be placed under a ‘Status Yellow’ wind and rain warning; same remaining in place until 3:00pm tomorrow afternoon, with motorists warned of poor visibility and potentially dangerous travelling conditions.
From 2:00am tomorrow morning, a ‘Status Orange’ wind warning will come into effect for counties Tipperary, and neighbouring counties Kilkenny, Limerick, Kildare, Laois, Offaly, Clare, together with counties Carlow, Dublin, Longford, Louth, Meath, Westmeath, Wicklow, Kerry and Galway. This evening’s warnings come in the wake of the devastation caused by preceding storms, e.g. Babet and Ciaran.

The first ‘Status Red’ wind warning will come into place at approximately 3:00am tomorrow morning, Monday, and will impact, in particular, counties Clare, Galway, and south Roscommon, remaining in place until 5:00am, before impacting counties Offaly and Westmeath.

Met Éireann warn that ‘Storm Debi’ could potentially cause damage to exposed and vulnerable structures, while causing disruption to services and transport, with significant power outages, including localised flooding, hail, hazardous travelling conditions, and fallen trees and branches.

From midnight tonight, the whole of Ireland will be placed under a ‘Status Yellow’ wind and rain warning remaining in place until 3:00pm tomorrow afternoon, with motorists warned of poor visibility and potentially dangerous travelling conditions.

Note according to RTE: All schools and pre-schools in 19 counties affected by Status Red and Status Orange warnings are being asked to remain closed until 10:00am tomorrow morning.
[Advice from Keith Leonard, National Director of Fire and Emergency Management.]

WARNING – Thurles Cyclists Beware.

Pictures hereunder currently show the present state of just a two meter (6.56ft) stretch of roadscape in Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

State of roadscape currently on Friar Street in Thurles, Co. Tipperary, latter a town with two Dail Éireann politicians both currently in residence, who have their constituency offices less than 500 meters from the above.
*Pic: G. Willoughby.*

The craters have developed over a period of 12 weeks, on Friar Street in the town, and can be easily located just east of Supervalu.

Cyclists in particular are warned to take great care to avoid these craters positioned close to the footpath. These craters measuring up to 15cm (6ins) deep are a particular hazard after dark, and presently force cyclists to quickly move out into often fast moving traffic, in an effort to avoid the cratered surface.

The current state of this particular streetscape, together with other areas of the town [e.g. Barry’s bridge, Kickham Street etc, etc], demonstrate a total lack of proper administration by Thurles Municipal District Council officials.

**Kickham Street, Thurles, pictured after a light rain shower.**
*Pic: G. Willoughby.*

Perhaps, this would be an opportune time for Mr Jackie Cahill TD and Mr Michael Lowry TD to invite Minister for Transport, Mr Eamon Ryan TD to visit a now forgotten Thurles. Emphasize and ensure that he brings his bicycle and pedals around the town.
Other benefits would be that the latter TD’s could have their pictures taken, together with local Town Councillors.

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.

Yet Another Road Fatality In Co. Tipperary.

A man, believed to be aged in his 50s, has sadly lost his life today, following his vehicle coming into collision with a truck in north Co. Tipperary.

The crash occurred just after mid-day, today on the N62, at Whitefields, Templemore.

The male truck driver, also understood to be a man in his 50s, was thankfully uninjured, while the deceased man was the sole occupant of the other vehicle when it collided.

A technical examination of the accident scene, by forensic collision investigators, is scheduled for tomorrow morning.

Gardaí in Thurles, Co. Tipperary are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed the collision to contact them [TEL: 0504-25100]. They are anxious to speak to any road users who were travelling on the N62, between 11:45 and 12:30pm and who may have dash-cam or other footage and information, to make same available to Thurles Gardaí, citing reference: PR20554/2023.

The above sad news comes following confirmation of a further five deaths, in separate crashes on Irish roads, since Friday evening last, bringing the overall death total to 150 deaths on Irish roads, so far this year.