Thurles Information

For the benefit of Ms Sharon Scully (Thurles Municipal District Administrator), may we confirm that the blocked drain outside of McCabes Pharmacy, on Kickham Street, Thurles, has caused major flooding yet again today, (see image hereunder), photographed also today, May 11th, 2023.

May we also confirm that the blocked drain featured in the same picture hereunder, can be found east of the Pallottine College entrance, on Kickham Street, Thurles. Same has been blocked since we contacted you on February 20th, 2022. For confirmation see picture No 2. [bottom left HERE ].

There are only 3 drain ports positioned on the lower south side of Kickham Street, two of which are blocked, with the water cascading like a river down the northside of the street, courtesy of the inefficiency of Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII). Hereunder, see Video which was also communicated to local councillors and officials on Feb.13th 2022.

If you need further proof of the inefficiency of your office, see video hereunder, first published Feb.12th 2022:-

Dear Readers; at the request of Ms Sharon Scully, (Thurles Municipal District Administrator) the communication addressed to both Ms Scully and Mr Joe MacGrath (Chief Executive, Tipperary Co. Co.) on Sun, 7th May is printed in full hereunder.

George Willoughby to Ms Sharon Scully (Thurles Municipal District Administrator) and Mr Joe MacGrath (Chief Executive, Tipperary Co. Co.) Sun, 7 May, 22:47

“Please see attached video of flooding on Cathedral Street, Thurles, which took place on Saturday last, May 6th.
Water flowed from No.12 Kickham Street unto Cathedral Street, with shores blocked at McCabes Pharmacy, Kickham Street, for the last 8 weeks, and at ‘The Source’ and Ursuline Convent, on Cathedral Street, for at least 4 weeks.

Please see a photograph of the damage caused to a drain outside the Ursuline convent front door, where work was recently undertaken by ‘Tar Stone’ has been fully lifted up by a water surge. See damage to roadway, same being further evidence of the sheer neglect of our town of Thurles.

Please also see the link; http://www.thurles.info/2023/05/06/wellingtons-necessary-when-traversing-newly-upgraded-e650000-bowes-corner/ .

Note up to 7:00pm today, flooding on pavement at Bowe’s corner has not subsided.

I will be highlighting further evidence of the neglect of Thurles, and continued money wasting, HERE this week, happening under both your watches and that of your “Executive Engineers”.

Signed: George Willoughby.

Wed, 10 May, 16:44 Ms Sharon Scully, to me

Dear Mr. Willoughby,

Thanks for your email below.
I can advise the following –

[A] The first photo is an Uisce Eireann excavation which is not the responsibility of Tipperary County Council. Please send a location associated with the photo so we could ensure it is communicated to Uisce Eireann for follow up.

[B] Picture number two would be normal after a flood event, whereby there is an accumulation on the gully from indiscriminate littering. It should be noted that there is regular street cleaning of footpaths and roads in Thurles town. Please send a location associated with the photo so we could ensure that it is presently clear.

[C] It would appear that picture number three is the same as picture number one Cathedral Street Video – all gullies in the town are on a rotation list for cleaning. However the network is susceptible to flash flooding of this nature. Locations as listed below will be examined.

[D] With regard to the video published on the Thurles Info website in relation to Bowes Corner – The contractor has not yet fully completed works to bring the gullies at the commencement of ramps up to surface level – these works will be completed in the coming weeks. In addition, at the aco-drain there was a temporary blockage to prevent excess grout from paving works entering the combined network – this has since being removed.

[E] Please confirm that you will publish the response of Tipperary County Council on the same website which published the video above to ensure that a full picture is conveyed.

Regards, Sharon.

George Willoughby, Wed, 10 May, 22:12 to Ms Sharon Scully (Thurles Municipal District Administrator) and Mr Joe MacGrath (Chief Executive, Tipperary Co. Co.)

Ms Scully,
Thank you for your reply to our email of May 7th 2023 instant at 22:55:

Note your reply will be published on all media outlets, used by Thurles.Info, as requested by you and in keeping with Mr MacGrath’s wishes, and as published HERE on April 20th last. We do this although our recent email correspondence to you both was not published publicly.
So in the interests of real openness and full transparency, it becomes necessary for us to publish all communications emanating both from Tipperary Co. Council; Thurles Municipal District Council and Thurles.Info, thus keeping our large readership up-to-date and fully informed as to what is transacted partially in secret.

Please now also let my readers & me have your thoughts regarding other issues shown via the following 3 links:-

[1] http://www.thurles.info/2023/04/22/possible-bus-shelter-for-thurles/.
What was the total cost of the full installation of the new carparks traffic barrier system including shelters, and CCTV cameras, same referred to as ‘Checkpoint Charlie’- and was there any money refunded following its hasty removal.

[2] http://www.thurles.info/2023/05/10/kickham-street-thurles-co-tipperary-saga-part-i/#comment-82959
When will repairs be undertaken on Kickham Street. Note: According to Councillor Ryan, (Littleton) same is due for reconstruction in September 2023.

[3] http://www.thurles.info/2023/05/07/thurles-taxpayers-tolerate-tipperary-co-councils-continuous-waste-of-finances/

Yours sincerely,
George Willoughby.

With regard to the four excuses and one request offered by Ms Scully above, (same identified by lettering attached by us; namely letters A, B, C, D & E,) we reserve the right to reply.

(A) The Uisce Eireann excavation is not an Uisce Eireann excavation, however if I am wrong; note that Tipperary Co. Council retains responsibility for Irish Water (Uisce Eireann) and queries continue to be accepted by the Water Services Section of the Tipperary Co. Council. So what is the issue in fixing the problem? Do they answer their phones?

(B) It is well noted that there is regular street cleaning of footpaths and roads in Thurles town, using a recently purchased mechanical street sweeper. Please give us a hint as to how this machine sweeps under parked cars, in order to reach ‘indiscriminate littering‘? It only has two brushes and no suction tube and is useful for gathering gravel every morning on Kickham Street.

(C) All three pictures sent refer to where flooding occurred- Cathedral Street. Note: I am not here to do the work of Thurles Municipal Council, you have paid employees to undertake such work. Quote by you “It would appear that all gullies in the town are on a rotation list for cleaning”.
Please explain why on the Mill Road, a short Distance from Councillor Mr Jim Ryan’s home, 3 blocked drains exist outside the new housing estate, all within the Thurles Municipal District boundary, same reported to you in Feb. 2022; leaving flood water to flow south down the Mill Road.
See Picture hereunder.

(C) No video was published by Thurles.Info relating to Bowe’s Corner. We did publish a picture of a blocked Aco-Drain. The surface here will not be lifted, if it is the Aco-Drain would not be needed as water would leach unto the roadway and into drains close by. The very existence of an Aco-Drain, demands a slight dip in the surrounding area to direct water. Perhaps the Aco-Drain is a bit central for those walking with high-heels, but this is the fault of the engineer’s drawings.
Any person who claims that the ‘temporary blockage‘ was to prevent excess grout (cement), from the paving works, entering the ‘combined network’, is a person who thinks you, Ms Scully, are easily fooled and I, George Willoughby, am an intellectually disabled individual. The ‘combined network’ on Friar Street has flooded at least once every year since I arrived in Thurles, some 45 years ago, as local businesses will attest.
The people (employees) who worked on that upgrade at Bowe’s Corner are extremely, highly skilled, unlike the consultants and engineers responsible for its overall design, and the elected councillors who publically came out and supported same officials.

The link to this post has been forwarded to Ms Sharon Scully (Thurles Municipal District Administrator) and Mr Joe MacGrath (Chief Executive, Tipperary Co. Co.) at their request.

The Kickham Street, Part 2 Saga will be published tomorrow.