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Supported on the night by Adela and the Meanits, together with local band Seskin Lane, the launch on Friday last of Autonomous i’s debut album “Attack the Mattress,” from the offset had all the hallmarks of a gig where seating space would be at a premium.
True to expectations, it was standing room only at The Source Theatre Thurles, when Autonomous i came onstage, thus contradicting the adage that “A prophet is not acceptable in his own country.” This five man outfit, consisting of Frah Butler (Guitar and Vocals), Daragh Kennedy (Guitar and Vocals), Jamie Kelly (Bass and Vocals), Eddie Dwan (Violin, Synth), and Adrian Creany (Drums) are Thurles born & reared and as Eddie Dwan stated to me before the gig, whatever we get up too, our local support base will be the first to be informed.
Described as ‘funk inspired indie rock,’ ‘quirky social commentary set to music‘ and ‘a break from the downbeat,’ “Attack The Mattress,” is a cracking great fresh debut album, and is now available from Heartbeat City Thurles and iTunes.
Expect to hear a lot more about this band, in the not too distant future.
In recent public speeches, President Michael D. Higgins has consistently and correctly commented on our need, as a nation, for continued community spirit. In March of this year he stated, “The natural strengths that have built and continue to enhance our reputation include our community spirit and social solidarity. In April he again remarked, “Our pioneering spirit and approach in caring for the people of our community is remarkable.”
Here in Co.Tipperary I am happy to report that social solidarity and community spirit are both alive and kicking. This latter statement is confirmed by last weekend’s Irish Cancer Society fundraising drive, the brainchild of builder Colm Dunne, ably assisted by Pat Treacy, Mary Doyle, Una Dunne and Andrew Walsh’s family run Coach & Minibus Hire company.
Add a couple of hotels, prepared to operate special rates on accommodation, e.g. Travelodge, Castleknock, 25 dedicated Clonakenny district fundraisers, determined to visit 26 Irish counties by road in just 3 days and the result will be at least €10,000 for the charity The Irish Cancer Society.
To the 25 residents of Clonakenny, Thurles and Roscrea, aged between 25 and 50 years old, who undertook this mammoth fundraising task and a 3 day bus ride, in an effort to assist in defeating a common enemy, namely ‘Cancer,’ my congratulations.
The organising committee would like to sincerely thank everyone who entered into the spirit of last weekend, by having their eyelashes, hair and chests, either dyed, shaved or waxed. As Colm Dunne remarked, “You never look stupid fighting cancer.”
By the way, if anyone out there would like to make a small contribution to this very worthy fundraising event, there is still time. Send your donation, no matter how small, to Una Dunne, Longfordwood, Clonakenny, Roscrea, Co. Tipperary, to arrive on or before May 19th next at 10:00pm, when the total proceeds of this event will be publically presented at a function in the Norebrook Lounge, Clonakenny, Tipperary.
The long awaited new link road in Thurles, which now joins the Templemore and Nenagh roads, was officially opened at midday on April 2nd last, by Mr Alan Kelly TD, Minister of State at the Department of Transport & Tourism. The new link road has been named after one of Thurles town’s proudest sons, Mr Jimmy Doyle.
To many of our regular readers living abroad, the name ‘Jimmy Doyle,‘ may hold little significance, however mention his name in Tipperary or indeed Ireland and you will open a conversation which surrounds a legend and which is guaranteed to continue for some time, thus ensuring you are late for any future intended destination.
Jimmy Doyle A Master Class In The Sport of Hurling
James (Jimmy) Doyle was born 1939 in Thurles, County Tipperary. He is a retired Irish hurling manager and a former player, beginning his career with the famous Thurles Sarsfields club from 1956 until 1975 and was a member of the Tipperary senior inter-county team from 1957 until 1973.
Jimmy is widely regarded as one of the greatest hurlers, ever, in the history of the game. In his Senior Inter-county career, which lasted for sixteen years, he won six All-Ireland titles, nine Munster titles, seven National Hurling League titles and eight Railway Cup titles. His completed tally of 18 goals, 176 points from 39 Championship Games, marks him as one of the top ten scorers of all-time. It took until 2007 for his all-time scoring record to be surpassed by Eoin Kelly.
Doyle won four consecutive minor County Titles, between 1954 and 1957 and won his first Senior County title in 1956 at the tender age of 17, adding three more in succession in 1957, 1958 and 1959. Throughout the 1960’s Doyle was a key member of the team that won five county titles in a row between 1961 and 1965. He also added a County Football title to his tally with Thurles Crokes in 1960. Jimmy captured his tenth and last senior county winners’ medal with ‘The Thurles Blues,’ in 1974, before retiring from club hurling in 1975.
Jimmy has also been the recipient of many awards and honours off the field. In 1965 his hurling prowess earned him the prestigious ‘Texaco Hurler of the Year,‘ award. He was honoured in 1984, by being named a member of the GAA ‘Hurling Team of the Century.’ To add to this, he was correctly named, (In left corner-forward position) on the GAA’s ‘Hurling Team of the Millennium,’ in 1999.
Jimmy Doyle has been described as being a ‘hurling stylist,’ among Munster hurling forwards and while lacking the amazing bursts of speed of hurler Christy Ring and the physical strength of hurler Mick Mackey, Doyle became renowned for his skill in the delicacy of his touch and his ability to kill a Sliothar (Sliothar: A hard solid sphere slightly larger than a tennis ball.) dead and the precise accuracy of his return. Indeed his strength and ability to curve a ball, set him apart from all other forwards, as a supreme master of the art of hurling.
To Jimmy Doyle go our best wishes and sincere congratulations, from the people of Thurles, on receiving this his latest well earned accolade.
For what more could one really ask – Lovely Ladies, a Wine & Canapé reception, Jewellery displays, Ireland’s latest fashion trends and all presented by the best in the business, namely Celia Holman Lee and her models from the Holman Lee Agency.
Clothing outlets represented included Le Chateau, Footsteps (Thurles), Stakelums Fashions (Thurles), Fran & Jane (Clonmel), Mr Mister (Mitchelstown), Kilkenny Shop, Golden Threads (Cashel) and Pageant Boutique (Tipperary Town).
Amongst those presenting their wares also at this event were Debbie Hainbach (Handbags + Things) Boytownrath, New Inn, Cashel, Margaret O’Dwyer dealing in Antiques & Vintage Apparel, Violet Thompson, (Sierra) Dundrum, Co. Tipperary, Susan Quigley (The Beauty Suite) Dundrum, Co. Tipperary, Anita Szabo, (Beauty Therapist) at Dundrum House Hotel, Esme Mansergh Wallace (Time For Beauty), Geraldine Ryan fashion consultant with “GR” and Miglio Consultant Caroline Gras, Designer Jewellery sales, Carron, Cashel.
Also in attendance was Kathleen Harding of “KathsKards,” providing Personalised Handmade Cards & Invitations and Noelle from “Piece A Cake,” catering for Birthdays, Weddings & Christenings.
The event was organised by Dundrum Tidy Towns Committee in association with Dundrum House Hotel.
“Rude waiters, a rat in the kitchen and what is that unidentified object floating in your soup?” This usually mean the “Meal from Hell,” but it also adds up to a most unforgettable, truly funny, night’s entertainment.
Next Friday April 20th and Saturday April 21st The Source Arts Centre, here in Thurles, will host “Faulty Towers – the Dining Experience,” starting at 7.30pm and courtesy of Interactive Theatre Australia, in association with Ten42 Productions.
The series, as most people are aware, was originally set in “Fawlty Towers,” a fictional hotel in the seaside town of Torquay, on the “English Riviera”. The plots originally centred around a rude and deranged manager Basil Fawlty (Played by John Cleese), his bossy wife Sybil (Played by Prunella Scales), a comparatively normal chambermaid Polly, (Played by Connie Booth) and a hapless Spanish waiter Manuel (Played by Andrew Sachs) latter with a limited English vocabularly and their attempts to run the hotel amidst farcical situations and an array of demanding and eccentric guests.
Acclaimed both nationally and internationally, this show is now an annual feature at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Adelaide Fringe Festival, Edinburgh Festival Fringe and now Fawlty Towers comes here to Thurles for just two nights.
You can now enjoy a three course meal at “The Source Café,” served up by none other than “Manuel,” “Basil,” and “Sybil,” which will guarantee that everything that can possibly go wrong on the night, most certainly will.
Tickets are priced at €45, which includes a three-course meal, with a choice of Main Course and Desert.
Highly recommended, with guaranteed side splitting laughter! (Just one piece of advice “Don’t mention the war.”)
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