Video « Thurles Information

Peter Sutcliffe To Remain In Prison

Peter William Sutcliffe, better known as ‘The Yorkshire Ripper‘, whose great grandfather Edward Coonan came from Tipperary in Ireland and who was jailed in 1981 for the murders of 13 women, will live out his life behind bars.

The British High Court has now ruled that the infamous serial killer will never be released despite having served 29 of his 30-year sentence. The courts believe that he remains a menace to society.

[wpyt_profile2]sLOUYSSXNF0[/wpyt_profile2]

Just last year Peter Sutcliffe changed his name to Peter Coonan, in an effort to show off his Tipperary roots. Aged 63, Sutcliffe has now served 28 years of a 30 year imposed sentence and is eligible for parole next year. At the time, British police thought the Yorkshire Ripper was Irish because several of his targeted victims who escaped stated he spoke with an Irish accent. It was because of this claim that several Irish men were actually arrested in England during the manhunt in the 1970s and early 1980s.

Irish TV presenter Garry MacDonncha who investigated the allegations as part of a documentary for RTE, Ireland’s national broadcaster, stated:
“Sutcliffe’s great grandfather, Edward Coonan… came over from Tipperary in the 1860s. We did track down his branch of the Coonans to around Ardcroney and Cloughjordan in Tipperary.”

River Suir – Water Lilies And Mute Swans

Our local water ways, namely the river Suir, which flows through the town of Thurles and the Cabragh Wetlands on the outskirts of the town, are particularly attractive at this time of year.

The native White Water Lily (Nymphaea alba) and the invasive Yellow flag Iris (Iris pseudacorus) are in full bloom in Cabragh Wetlands, while on the river Suir our year round resident Mute Swans (Dan and Doris) have finally introduced their surviving three cygnets, hatched in mid May, to the local residents.

The male (called a Cob), and the female (called a Pen) birds, usually attempt to mate for life, although it is not true to say that if one of the birds were to die, that the other would necessarily pine away. It is very possible for an adult bird to find an alternative mate.

Their nest is a huge mound of mixed material, normally assorted vegetation, consisting of sticks dried grasses and rushes, are constructed at the water’s edge. The nest is built by the female, while the male supplies the materials.

The female lays up to seven eggs between late April and early May. Both sexes incubate the eggs, which hatch within 35-41 days. The young birds (called cygnets) sometimes ride playfully on their parents’ backs as seen in this video clip.

June On The River Suir, Thurles, Co Tipperary, Ireland. from George Willoughby on Vimeo.

The youngsters remain with the adult birds for four or five months before being driven from the breeding ground in mid Autumn.

Swans normally find enough food in the wild without supplementary feeding. It is only in freezing weather that extra food can be helpful. Many people like feeding bread to swans and while this is unlikely to do them any real harm in the long term, it is no substitute for the proper diet that the birds themselves will seek out. Grain, such as wheat, and vegetable matter, especially lettuce and potatoes, can be fed to swans.

Food should be thrown into the water to avoid encouraging the young birds onto the bank, thus putting their lives in danger.

A visit to Cabragh Wetlands is such a peaceful experience and for those who enjoy a closeness with nature, it is well worth a visit, particularly in the evening time.

Music used in the video clip is by Johannes Brahms, entitled “The Cradle Song”.

Leaving Cert – You Will All Be Just Fine

Tomorrow is D Day for thousands of students the length and breadth of this country as they prepare to sit English Paper 1 in both the Junior and Leaving Certificate.

It’s a very stressful “make or break” time for every student involved and on behalf of everyone here at Thurles.info, we want to wish each and every one of you out there, the very best of luck in your examinations.

We all know that participation in exams can be pretty depressing for all involved, so hopefully this video hereunder of 2FM DJ Jim – Jim’s ‘I Got Me Leaving’ will help you crack a smile.

It’s the tune of the Black Eyed Peas Super hit ‘I Got a Feeling’ set to new Leaving Cert Lyrics, to which I think we can all relate.

[wpyt_profile2]ssWYnRlW_CM[/wpyt_profile2]

Best of luck to the Junior and Leaving Certs of 2010. I got a feeling your all going to be just fine.

Remember, if things do not work out, you can always take up a career in politics. It is still one of the few jobs where educational qualifications and C.V’s. are not necessarily required.

Planning On Affecting The Lives Of Others This Weekend?

Another week gone bye, another unacceptable number of road death, another number of family and close friends in shock and mourning loved ones, another local community speechless and brought to tears.

This coming bank holiday there is every chance you will possibly be responsible for all of the above, because you have refused to embrace life and all it has to offer, because you wanted to impress friends, because you believe your vehicle is a Ferrari and you are Fernando Alonso taking part in the Bahrain Grand Prix.

The video hereunder is one of the most moving commercials I have ever seen, yet not a word is spoken and it says just about everything needed to be said, to those out motoring this coming weekend.

This video does not attempt to scare, there is no blood or mashed metal, but hopefully it will make you think and be inspired with regard to your motoring behaviour.

[wpyt_profile2]h-8PBx7isoM[/wpyt_profile2]

A total of 28 people have died, 50 have been seriously injured and an average of 1500 close relatives and friend’s lives have been ruined, in bank holiday crashes since 2005.

“Heed the speed- Arrive Alive.”

Weekend Of Laughter In The Source Thurles

Economic Recession, Water Charges, Mortgage Rate Rises, and with all that depression about, what we all need is a good laugh. This ‘sure cure remedy’ is ready and available this weekend here at The Source Theatre, in Thurles.

God’s Official

To some people, football is a matter of life and death, to others it is even far more important than that great love of the sport itself.

Two football fans have just seen their side relegated after a referee disallowed a perfectly good goal and allowed the opposition to go down to the other end and score. This can be just one step to many, however the referee’s decision is final…or is it?

Two lads, Degsy and Cliff, decide to take matters into their own hands and kidnap the referee to force him to change his mind on this all important goal, with hilarious and the most unexpected consequences. This is a madcap comedy starring legendary Irish actor, Mick Lally, George McMahon of Mondo and Fair City fame and rising star Edwin Mullane.

Kidnapping a referee (and a Christian referee at that, hence the title) may seem a corny plot for a play. After all, we have all wanted to do something similar after a certain clash with a recent French team, but this script is a tremendous piece of writing, and superbly acted. Ostensibly about football, God’s Official is a powerful play about passion and commitment, a welcome relief in these dark and cynical times.

The play was a massive hit at the Edinburgh Festival winning the Spirit of the Fringe Award. Now, with Irish men taking up the roles, it’s on a nationwide tour set to amuse and delight soccer fans up and down the country.

So for all you football fanatics and soccer widows, why not make a night of it together, with a show that promises to entertain everybody.

God’s Official will appear at The Source Arts Centre for one night only on Fri next the 23rd April. Time 8.00pm.

Kevin McAleer

On Saturday night the 24th of April, complete your therapy with a dose of the veteran County Tyrone stand up comedian Kevin McAleer who will be in attendance at the The Source Arts Centre also at 8.00pm.

Is it possible for a comedian to be too Irish I ask? No, not when Kevin McAleer oozes that whimsical spirit of Flann O’Brien with almost every deadpan utterance. “Sure you couldn’t have a famine in Ireland now, people would just go and eat out.”

It’s nearly twenty years since Kevin lit up our hearts and the screens of our television sets with his psychedelic folk tales of Kojak, Dana, Gary Glitter, the Woman and the Washing Powder, Closedown, and dozens of other cultural icons too numerous to mention.

[wpyt_profile2]PFj-_KrCML0[/wpyt_profile2]

McAleer has been hugely influential in comedy circles for a whole generation of comedians, not just in here in Ireland, but in the UK as well. Our own David O’Doherty, for example, tells how he decided to become a comedian after seeing the original Nighthawks show in the Olympia back in the middle of the Nineties.

His owlish storytelling occasionally rambles down a funny side, not often identified by the average man, and then finds it way back in a similar vein, leading you always into continuous bouts of uncontrollable laughter. His grossly understated absurdism’s will have you in stitches and most certainly he deserves to demonstrate his unique and talented wares to packed audiences.

This show is a must for economic depression sufferers.

To book for one or both shows call 0504-90204 or visit the Source website www.thesourceartscentre.ie

Tickets to both shows on both nights will cost you less than a trip to your doctor and no trip to the chemist for that medication needed later.