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Business people in the heart of Thurles and indeed in the streets surrounding Liberty Square are heaving a sigh of relief this morning, following the news that the necessary repairs to the Barry’s Bridge crossing, have at last come to an end. The single lane “Stop & Go” traffic system, which they and road users were also forced to experience over the past three weeks, is now at an end, or is it?
It would seem that our busy decision making, municipal engineers didn’t make it to Specsavers Opticians this year.
Less than 8mtres (24ft) away from the newly re-glued bridge surface, a collapsed drain under the road has gone unnoticed, despite its sunken state being in existence long before the previous glued surface, on this same Barry’s bridge, had decided to surrender and disintegrate. Yes and even before the “Beast from the East” could have obscured it, swallowing it in a white blank canvas. The clue for engineers was the obvious fact that the road surface had dropped 2ins below kerb foundations, thus leaving questions to be answered.
One would have thought that when all the heavy machinery; tar trucks, heavy duty breakers, rollers, tarmac trucks and other thingamajigs, were in place over the past three weeks, this very small close-by repair, could also have been included; thus cutting major costs for the taxpayer.
Not so; money does not seem to be a problem for the Templemore /Thurles Municipal District engineers, so expect the heavy machinery to return again, and that accompanying single lane of traffic also, to materialise yet again, and to hell with with the tax payer.
There is, however, one great saving having been made in all of this; the 2017 Christmas lights still remains in place this Easter; in plenty of time for next Christmas. This could mean that there will be no rise in Property Tax next year.
A warning to all drivers using the Mill Road out of Thurles, exiting from the N75 (Dublin Road) to Littleton & Turtulla Cross.
These Pictures Do Not Lie!
Due to increased use by heavy duty trucks and other motor vehicles, attempting to avoid necessary roadworks at Barry’s Bridge, Thurles, two seriously dangerous potholes have now been created.
The holes are situated on the left-hand side, on centre of the sharp second S-bend corner, as drivers cross the Drish River, (opposite the rather lovely reed thatched house on the right-hand side, at Lady’s Well); as drivers exit the town from the Dublin Road (N75), travelling South to Littleton (going left), and West to Turtulla Cross (going right).
The pothole pictured, marked (1) above is over 1 metre in length; almost ½ metre in width (see sides on image) and is about 26 centimetres deep. Same is quite capable of doing serious damage to any vehicle’s tracking, or in a worst scenario, force a driver to lose total control of their steering.
Picture (2) above is only a metre away from (1), with the road structure showing similar signs of disintegration. Both holes are not immediately visible to any driver.
In the words of Albert Einstein, when it comes to those who plan our roads: “Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I’m not sure about the former”.
This narrow short stretch of road [known affectionately, locally, as “Fat Arse Boulevard” ], without footpaths, stupidly displays “hasten signs” allowing for speeds of 80k per hour. This is despite being used regularly by Driving Testers, Walkers, Joggers, Learner Drivers, Dog Walkers, Pram Pushers, Children & Teenagers (grouped together), our late departed flattened Tom Cat, and even boasts a Housing Estate plus an S-Bend on a Humped-Back Bridge.
Surely this Road; and not the vehicles driving thereon, should now be given an NCT.
Every person aged 66 and over, living permanently in the Irish State, are entitled to avail of the Free Travel Scheme. Some people under 66 also qualify. If you qualify for free travel, you are issued with a card that you must carry with you when using public transport. In some cases, a Free Travel Companion Card is also available which allows a person to travel with the holder (if they are unable to travel alone).
This Free Travel Scheme allows for free travel being made available on all Irish State public transport systems, e.g. Bus, Rail and Dublin’s LUAS service, with some minor exceptions.
 Left-Right: Ms Joan Farrally, Mr Vincent McNally (Group Organiser), Mrs Eilish McNally, and Mrs Brid McMenaman. Mr McNally (Pictured above) headed up a most wonderful, friendly, knowledgeable and well travelled group of 45 retired persons from Co. Dublin, on Wednesday, March 7th last, all who arrived by train to Thurles Railway Station. Answer two simple questions.
(1) “Have any of you retired persons, aged 66 and over ever visited the historic town of Thurles?”
(2) “Do you realise that you can have a most enjoyable day out in Thurles town for a maximum of €12.00?”
So what can you get for €12.00 in Thurles, Co. Tipperary, armed with a Free Travel Scheme pass card?
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First, remember your travel is free and Thurles Town enjoys the luxury of an excellent and regular Iarnród Éireann daily train service.
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Lunch in the historic Hayes Hotel, Liberty Square, offers a full Lunch Menu in the comfort of their attractive Carvery. [e.g. main course of Roast Beef & 3 Veg, plus Tea or Coffee will cost you just €11.00.]
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The Davin Room in Hayes Hotel will be made available, free of charge, for groups of twenty persons or more, with a charge of just €1 per head to attend a one-hour lecture on the Great Famine (1845-1850) and to view, up close, some of the extremely rare artefacts, collected from that period; not available to see anywhere else in Ireland.
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Other activities can also be arranged around your day trip, subject to your particular interests.
So, here is a perfect opportunity for those of you benefiting from the Free Travel Scheme, to round up a group of friends and give yourselves a well deserved day out; one to remember here in Thurles, Co. Tipperary, with an opportunity to meet the friendliest and most obliging people in the world.
Tripadvisor:
A must for anyone interested in Irish history.
It was an eye opener for all of us active retirees to learn about the famine history, from a very well spoken orator, who delivered an excellent talk about this sad period in Irish history.
Tripadvisor:
Lots of very interesting displays of what life was like during the famine. Has original “Gratuitous Relief Ration Record Book” (or the ‘Distribution Book,’ as it was also called,) for the electoral divisions of Holycross, Thurles and Ballycahill for 1847. Admission is only a nominal donation.
Further details can be had by phoning at any time, Mobile – (086) 8785859, and we will endeavour to ensure you enjoy your day trip to this most historic of Tipperary towns; Thurles.
[Please Note: All money, in total, collected from these “Great Famine” lectures goes to Thurles Lions Club, for use at their discretion, with a total of €140.00, having already been handed over to this very worthy organisation, to date this year.]
It looks like the necessary surface work required to upgrade Barry’s Bridge, crossing the River Suir here in Thurles town, is at last about to start.
Health and Safety barriers were erected on the bridge this morning beginning at 9.00am, together with led digital signage, requesting drivers of vehicles, where possible, to use alternative routes out of the town centre.
Barry’s Bridge in Thurles, Co Tipperary, has provided passage over the river Suir, since around 1650, and was partially widened again circa 1820.
Bridge Castle, overlooking this seasonally shallow river crossing, has dominated the Thurles skyline since as early as 1453, built possibly by the Norman invader McRickard Butler of whom history records that he erected, in 1453, two castles at Thurles and one at Buaidlic (Boulick).
While footpaths for pedestrians remain unrestricted presently, we understand that vehicles will be curtailed to one single lane of traffic crossing the bridge, for the duration of the period deemed necessary to carry out the resurfacing work.
So, where possible do try to use the alternative entrance and exit routes indicated, in order to keep traffic flowing.
A Leader Of Irish Girl Guides Recalls Her Five Years In India
Reporter Tom Ryan
 This year’s World “Thinking Day” (22nd February last) – a day when Girl Guides celebrated their international friendships; had special significance for a Thurles Irish Girl Guide Leader.
It was the first time in five years that Catherine O’Connor, formerly of Cathedral Street, Thurles, Co. Tipperary, had celebrated that event in Ireland. For the past five years she has celebrated with Girl Guides from around the world at Sangam World Guiding Centre in Pune, that sprawling city in the western Indian state of Maharashtra, India; in her role as Deputy World Centre Manager.
World “Thinking Day” is a day when Guides across the globe give thanks for the international friendships they enjoy through the Guiding movement and raise money to deliver life-changing opportunities for girls in developing countries. This year’s World “Thinking Day” theme was ‘Impact’ and the Irish 12,000 Girl Guide membership joined with 10 million Girl Guides and Girl Scouts across the globe, to celebrate the
impact that Guiding has on them and that they, in turn, have on their local communities and the wider world.
Catherine, who is a Leader with Thurles Senior Branch (Senior Branch Irish Girl Guides are those aged from 14-30 years) and a Community Youth Worker with Youth Work Ireland Tipperary, says, “Everything we do in Girl Guiding has an impact on our lives and the lives of people around us. My own life has been hugely impacted by Girl Guiding since joining at age seven. By taking part in relevant, exciting and fun activities our members experience positive change within themselves. As they develop different skills such as communication, collaboration, creativity, commitment and citizenship, they get motivated to make a positive change in the community and wider world. Hence, Girl Guiding impacts individually and collectively.”
Catherine’s time in India was life-changing. “What an amazing country! From the colours, the noise, the festivals, the vibrancy, the hustle and bustle and the warmth of the people, it was a real honour calling this country my home,” she says.
“A big honour for me was getting to represent the Irish Girl Guides and when I got to see the Irish flag flying high at the opening ceremony of the 107 events that happened during my time at Sangam. There was lots of fun and laughter when I attempted to teach Irish dancing at international nights and special memories of enjoying Tayto sandwiches, while watching and explaining Moone Boy with the Sangam family.”
“During my time at Sangam I got to meet over 5,000 Girl Guides and Girl Scouts from all around the world! I also got to work closely with 13 other international staff, 36 Indian staff and volunteers in training from the local community. (Some 71 volunteers and 125 interns were community programme participants). So on a daily basis I got to experience the true friendship and sisterhood of global Guiding and have such interesting conversations, learning so much about other cultures. I am so privileged to have friends I can now visit around the world; from Australia, Chile, Costa Rica, Canada, Japan, Kenya, Nepal, Rwanda, Slovenia and Sweden, to name but a few places.”
Cate considered herself very lucky to have been part of Sangam’s 50th birthday celebrations, from the early planning stages in March 2013 right through to the big day on 16th October 2016, when 1000 plus friends from around the global and local community joined in with the Sangam camp-site for a massive celebration. She was delighted to discover that “amazing, wonderful, exciting things can can happen when you’re brave enough to try and take the chance on new and sometimes scary opportunities”.
She continues, “By getting on the plane on 19th July 2012, just days after Irish Girl Guides’ international camp CAMP 101, despite being so nervous, anxious, doubting myself and so tired; I got to experience so
much from the kindness of strangers who are now lifelong friends; to being able to call the amazing country of India my other home; to having dared myself to do all of the following, from driving a
rickshaw and scooter, trying Bollywood dancing, hanging upside down in an ariel yoga hammock, abseiling off the Sangam water tower, to travelling solo in India, including taking an overnight sleeper bus and finding my way around Delhi train station at midnight.
This all happened because I took that first step to apply! So I would encourage you to BE BRAVE when new opportunities come your way, just GO FOR IT!”
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