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The Premier Return – New Tipperary Song

Johnny B & The Boogie Men have released a brand new song and video about the Tipperary Hurling team for 2011. Following on from their wildly successful Premier Rap song from last year and the now famous Lar Outside song from earlier this year, this new song ‘The Premier Return’ is sure to be a hit with all the Tipperary fans.

Check out the video below.

Well done to Johnny B and The Boogie Men, this is another cracking song lads. Here’s to Tipperary winning the 2011 All Ireland Hurling Championship again this year!

C’mon Tipp!!

Advice For Leaving Certs

Of almost 58,000 Leaving Certificate students who sat their examinations in Ireland this year, close to 2,000 will have got their Leaving Certificate results here in County Tipperary today.

This mornings results will bring mixed emotions to students, with some students pleased and others possibly disappointed. Regardless of your results take the time to listen to this excellent piece of advice for your future.

The narrative you have just heard is based on an essay by Mary Schmich’s in her column in the Chicago Tribune which headlined “Advice, like youth, probably just wasted on the young.”

This popular and well-known essay became the successful music single “Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen)“, released in 1998, (Something for Everybody album) by Australian film director, screenwriter and producer, Mark Anthony “Baz” Luhrmann.

Heed it, this advice is still not outdated.

International Miss Macra 2011 Tiara Unveiled

Young people have been enjoying membership of Macra in Clonoulty/Rossmore Co Tipperary since 1950, however back then it was called Clonoulty and District Young Farmers Club. It was not until 1972 that Tom Horan suggested the idea of a Miss Macra festival. With the assistance of the late Sean Fitzgibbon, Manager of the Premier Hall in Thurles, so began the Miss Macra Festival, now one of the longest surviving and successful festivals in Ireland and certainly the longest running in Co. Tipperary.

Today a specially commissioned, Sterling Silver Tiara, embellished with cubic zirconia, was unveiled by Michael’s Jewellers,Thurles, in conjunction with their Silversmith Chris Osburne, to celebrate the Festival’s 40th anniversary.

International Miss Macra Tiara from George Willoughby on Vimeo.

“The Tiara is modelled as a crown with Celtic spirals and a heart. In Celtic times the spirals were believed to symbolise balance, initiation, awareness, connection journeying, development and knowledge. The heart is a well known symbol of love and commitment. These two very strong symbols married together in this sterling silver Tiara will be the perfect crown for the winner of the prestigious title of International Miss Macra for many years to come.” explains Joan Pollard Carew, one of the sponsors of this event.

Shown also in the above video clip is a Celtic Cross, one of the best known Irish or Celtic symbols, also sponsored by Michael’s Jewellers, Thurles.
The sterling silver Celtic crosses which will be presenting as tokens to each of the International Miss Macra contestants this year, have been handcrafted in Ireland and hallmarked in Dublin Castle. These crosses have Celtic knots also known as friendship knots. The knot has no visible beginning or end and this is to reminds us of the timeless nature of our spirit and the importance of friendship.

The International Miss Macra Festival begins Thursday 28th July and runs until Sunday July 31st, 2011 inclusive.

Tipperary Volunteer Fair In Thurles Huge Success

Volunteers taking part in the North Tipperary Volunteer Fair, held in Thurles Shopping Centre this evening, report the event as being an excellent public relations exercise for their various organisations.

This event, which was funded by the European Commission, was successfully organised by North Tipperary Volunteer Fair Steering Committee, led by the Europe Direct Information Centre here in Thurles Library.

Europe Direct Volunteer Fair from Rachel Willo on Vimeo.

Hundreds of shoppers stopped off to the various stands, who proudly explained their goals and the magnificent work being carried out by each of the organisation represented.

A wide variety of stands displayed their wares, including GIY, ICA, Thurles Fairtrade, Tipperary Regional Youth Service, Irish Girl Guides, Upperchurch-Drombane Development Association, Cabragh Wetlands, Irish Pilgrimage Trust, Rainbows, Thurles Toast Masters, Cava, An Taisce, Hidden Tipperary, St.Mary’s Famine Museum, Thurles Special Needs and many more.

Other similar Fairs will take place this month in Damer Court Hotel in Roscrea on Saturday 23rd from 12.00-3.00 p.m. and Nenagh Arts Centre on Sunday 24th from 12.00-3.00 p.m.

Congratulations to Ann Marie Brophy, Executive Librarian, here at Thurles Library for her excellent organisation of this event and to the many who pledged assistance goes the thanks of the organisations involved.

Rats Unexpected Guests

When food scraps were left out for some of our local feathered friends recently, some unexpected guests arrived.

Let’s meet Mrs Rowena Rat and her eldest daughter Rita, courtesy of regular subscriber to Thurles.Info, Mr Michael Bannon, (Thanks Michael.) who forwarded this rare close-up video clip to us for editing and sharing.

The Brown Rat or Common Rat, (Rattus Norvegicus) is one of the best known of rats found in Ireland. This brown rodent lives wherever humans live, in both rural and urban areas and in the absence of humans, prefer damp environments such as river banks. The animal came to Europe possibly from central Asia and most likely China.

One of the largest of the super family of rodents, which includes hamsters and gerbils, the common rat displays a brown or grey fur coat, while the underparts are lighter grey or brown. The rodent has a body length of up to 25 cm (10 ins) long, with a similar tail length. The species is a true omnivore and will consume almost anything, but cereals form a substantial part of its diet.

The brown rat can breed right through the year, with females producing up to five litters each year. The gestation period for a female rat is just 21 days and litters can number between six and fourteen in total. Rats do groom each other and usually sleep together in burrows. It’s life span can be up to three years, but most of them rarely survive past one year of age, due to human, other animal predators and inter-species conflict. Their yearly mortality rate is estimated as high as 95%.

Brown rats have very acute hearing, and are sensitive to ultrasound. Adult rats can emit ultrasonic vocalizations in response to predators or other perceived danger, which is unheard by the human ear. However they can also produce communicative noises capable of being heard by humans. Usually they are more active at night, but as this video confirms, they will also hunt during daylight hours. These rodents are also excellent swimmers, both on the surface and underwater.

Brown rats may carry a number of pathogens which can result in disease, such as the dreaded Leptospirosis (Weil’s Disease,) Rat Bite Fever, Cryptosporidiosis, and Viral Hemorrhagic Fever. Brown rats however are mistakenly believed to be a major reservoir for Bubonic Plague. Rats are normally very shy creatures, but in the wild will bite as a last resort of defence, if it feels cornered.

The brown rat is kept as a pet in many parts of the world e.g. United States, United Kingdom and Australia in particular, with countries forming Rat Associations similar in nature to our Kennel Clubs, which promote responsible pet ownership.
This video was captured on a Flip HD Video Camera ideal for capturing nature, upclose and personal.