Thurles Information

Killer Covid-19 Cases Today Reach 22,629 On Irish Mainland.

The Department of Health has confirmed a further 14,555 new PCR-confirmed cases of Covid-19, with 5,406 positive antigen tests logged through the HSE portal; thus confirming a total of 19,961 new cases within the Irish Republic in the last 24 hours.

The number of people currently hospitalised with the virus today stands at 940; a reduction of 80 on yesterday’s tally and of those being treated in hospital, 89 continue to remain in intensive care; up 6 on yesterday’s reported figures.

There have been 2,537,237 booster vaccines doses delivered here in the Irish Republic to date.

Th Republic’s Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan has urged people to note that as people get familiar with the new advice on isolation periods, the importance of other protective measures should not in any measure be disregarded. He now recommended that medical grade or FFP2 masks (Currently available here in Thurles at Liberty Pharmacy, Liberty Square Thurles) are used by any confirmed case, or close contact or symptomatic person over the age of 13, as well as over 60s or vulnerable people in crowded settings.

Dr Holohan states that face masks play a key role in reducing transmission of Covid-19 if manufactured correctly, are well fitted and worn properly; in other words that they cover the nose, mouth and chin.

Northern Ireland’s Department of Health has reported a further 2,668 coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, down from the 2,954 cases reported yesterday.

To date, a total of 3,615,907 vaccines have been administered in Northern Ireland as of today. Of that total, 1,409,340 are first doses, 1,303,859 are second doses and the remaining are single doses. There have only been 883,372 booster vaccines delivered in Northern Ireland to date.

Northern Ireland’s Department of Health has reported 0 further Covid-19-related deaths also today.

Continue the downward virus trend by getting your booster dose as soon as applicable.

Life Of Two-Mile-Borris, Co. Tipperary Centenarian To Be Celebrated In Australia.

Local Tipperary Correspondent Mr Gerry Bowe Reports:-

‘Let our lives be good, and the times will be good.’

Huge preparations are currently underway in the Mercy Community Residential Age Care Nursing Home, Nudgee, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia in prepration for the 100th birthday celebration for Sr. Mary Britton, due to take place on January 20th next.

Same preparations are expected to include numerous video conferencing calls, numerous emails, a Mass celebration and party; all for Sr. Mary celebrating her amazing life which was dedicated to teaching.

Sr. Mary was born on the 20th January 1922, during the Irish civil war; the eldest of the Britton family, from Cloncleigh, Two-Mile-Borris, Thurles, Co. Tipperary, the daughter of the late Edward and Johanna Britton and sister to brothers Paddy, Sean, Billy and Pierce, and the late Eddie, Christy, Johanna and Bridget (R.I.P).
Baptised in St. James Church, Two-Mile-Borris, Thurles; Sr. Mary received her early education in the local national school. She received her First Holy Communion also in St. James Church in the village and later received her Confirmation in the nearby Church of St. Peter in Chains, Moycarkey, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

In 1938, at the age of 17 years, Sr. Mary entered the Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy, in Timolegue, Co. Cork.

Due to the outbreak of World War II, (1939 -1945), travel was greatly curtailed and Sr. Mary spent the next eight years in Timolegue, Co Cork. It was while residing there that she qualified as a music and elocution teacher, having studied at the College of Music in Cork City and while travelling by train each day to Cork City. Same studies saw her receive the highest grades from Trinity College, London. Sr. Mary has always remained very musical, with a most beautiful singing voice.

In 1947 preparations were made for Sr. Mary and 18 other nuns, to sail to Australia and to take their religion and new teaching qualifications to the new Roman Catholic schools then being built.
In November 1947, they departed from Glenmire railway station, Co Cork; travelling to Sean Heuston station in Dublin, before staying overnight in a convent in Dun Laoghaire.

The following day, together with 13 priests, they set sail from Dun Laoghaire harbour in Dublin, sailing to Holyhead in Wales.

On arrival in Wales they continued by train to the port of South Hampton, England, where they boarded the then refitted troop ship SS Otranto, a passenger liner, then sailing regularly between England and Australia. The overall journey took some 5 weeks before arriving in Perth Harbour.

Sr. Mary well remembers the journey to Australia as being very pleasant. They were all treated very well, with the food, presented on board, being of the highest standard. They arrived in Perth Harbour on St. Stephen day, 1947, to sunshine, heat and clear blue skies, before taking another boat to Sydney harbour.

**His Eminence Sir Norman Thomas Gilroy**, **KBE**.

Here they were very well received, with the Archbishop of Sydney, later His Eminence Cardinal Sir Norman Thomas Gilroy, KBE, [Latter of Irish descent; the first Australian-born Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church, knighted in 1969], coming in person to welcome them and providing a celebratory feast for all the religious Irish weary travellers to enjoy.

Sr. Mary would then continue travelling on to Melbourne, before ending her journey in Brisbane, Queensland.

Sr. Mary’s first teaching post was in All Hallows’ Convent boarding school for girls, latter the first Catholic boarding school built in Brisbane. Here she spent some 37 happy years, teaching music, piano and violin together with other instruments. She also taught English and gave elocution classes to the girls. She taught singing, organised the choirs for the church in the school and the musicals for the boarding school stage.

Through her love of music and her friendly personality, Sr. Mary made many friends in the community around All Hallows’ Convent with many of her pupils remaining close friends long afterwards.

In 1984, Sr. Mary was invited to transfer to St. Bridget Convent School in Rosewood, Queensland. Rosewood is a small coal mining town about 38 miles from Brisbane. It has a population of approx. 3,000 people. Here Sr. Mary thrived, due to her good nature, her pleasant and cheerful personality and of course her great talent as a musician/singer.

Once again Sr. Mary made lifetime friends through her music and her involvement in the local community and church. She spent some 16 happy years in Rosewood, before the nuns transferred the school over to the local community.

On retirement, Sr. Mary returned to the Mater Hospital in Brisbane and again she became involved with the church and contributed greatly to parish work. Only last year did Mary, at the age of 99 years, go into a nursing home belonging to the Mercy Congregation, where she continues to attend Mass each day and participate in many other activities.

Sr. Mary returned to Ireland many times over the years and always enjoyed spending time with her family and friends from Two-Mile-Borris and the wider community here in Co. Tipperary. She holds many dear memories of her now deceased brothers and sisters (Eddie, Christy, Johanna Mc Donnell and Bridget Ryan, R.I.P.).

Sr. Mary remains in frequent contact with her brothers Paddy, Sean, Billy and Pierce, still residing in the village of Two-Mile-Borris, Thurles as well as her nieces and nephews; taking a special interest in their everyday lives.

It is with great joy we celebrate this upcoming occasion as Sr. Mary reaches her 100th birthday on Thursday January 20th, 2022.

A very happy birthday wish goes to Sr. Mary from all her friends and family here in Two-Mile-Borris, Thurles and Co. Tipperary.

Lá breithe shona duit.

Minister McEntee Welcomes Attestation Of New Garda Members

* 122 Gardaí attested today with a further 26 to attest in the coming weeks

* Minister encourages all those interested in joining An Garda Síochána, and particularly women and those from minority communities, to consider applying in upcoming recruitment competition

The Minister for Justice, Mrs Helen McEntee TD, has welcomed the attestations of 122 members of An Garda Síochána at the Garda College, Templemore, today. The newly attested members have now completed their training and will be placed in Garda Divisions throughout the country. A further 26 trainees are currently restricting movements in line with public health guidelines and will be attested in the coming weeks.

Minister McEntee said: “I wish to commend the newly attested members of An Garda Síochána who, in joining the ranks today, have demonstrated their commitment to providing a trusted and effective policing service that is valued for the public service it provides. The continued and determined response by the members of An Garda Síochána to the COVID-19 pandemic has been exemplary and their dedication to providing a safe and dependable policing service for the people of Ireland during these challenging times is greatly appreciated by us all. In particular, Operation Faoiseamh has actively sought to connect with victims of domestic abuse, who are amongst those who are most vulnerable to the circumstances of the pandemic.”

While recruitment has been impacted over the last two years by the COVID-19 pandemic, this month’s attestations will bring the total number of members of An Garda Síochána to approximately 14,411, a substantial increase from 12,943 Garda members in 2016. A further 235 trainees are currently in training.

Budget 2022 reflects the commitment of Government to ensuring that our communities are safe and that An Garda Síochána has the resources required to operate effectively. The budget provided by Government to the Garda Commissioner continues to increase to unprecedented levels, with an allocation of over €2 billion for 2022. This includes provision for the recruitment of 800 new Garda recruits and 400 Garda staff in 2022 – an additional 1,200 personnel. A new recruitment competition is due to be launched shortly.

The Minister further added, “It is vital that everyone in our society sees members of their own communities serving in An Garda Síochána. I know that the Garda Commissioner and all members of An Garda Síochána are dedicated to increasing diversity within the organisation. 27% of those attesting this week are female while 21 of the Gardaí were born outside the State, including from Poland, Brazil, Ukraine and Lithuania amongst other countries. This is very welcome. The new recruitment campaign provides a very valuable opportunity to further increase diversity within the organisation and I would urge anyone with an interest in joining our national police service – and in particular women and members of minority communities – to consider applying when the competition opens.”

Killer Covid-19 Cases Reach 20,019 On Irish Mainland In Past 24 Hours.

Here in the Irish Republic, within the past 24 hours, the Department of Health have confirmed 17,065 new cases of Covid-19.

As of 8:00am, there were 1,023 patients in hospital suffering with the virus, an increase of 12 on figures reported yesterday. Of those patients 83 remain being treated in the Republic’s Hospital intensive care units, down 9 on yesterday.

Earlier today the Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr Ronan Glynn, has stated that the National Public Health Emergency team is hopeful and believes that we are coming close to the peak of the Omicron wave. He confirmed he believed that there were grounds for optimism with things travelling presently in the right direction.

The number of people within our Republic presently on the Live Register and Pandemic Unemployment Payments rose by 5.8% to 229,657 in December; that is according to the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office. A total of 66,906 people were in receipt of the PUP in the last week of December, an increase of 11,906 in the numbers reported in November.

In Northern Ireland, their Department of Health has confirmed a further 2,954 coronavirus cases today, down from the 2,980 cases reported on yesterday.

Today, there were 402 patients with Covid-19 in hospitals in Northern Ireland, down from 424 yesterday, with 30 patients with Covid-19 in northern hospital intensive care units, up from 2 on Wednesday’s confirmed figures.
Sadly, Northern Ireland’s Department of Health has also reported 4 more Covid-19-related deaths today, with the total number of deaths, since the start of the pandemic, now standing at 3,035.

Once again, we remind our readers:
It was never more important at this time, that everyone now continue to support our schools, businesses, immediate family
and friends and to keep to the spirit of public health advice.

Man Attacked & Injured By Stag Settles Legal Claim With ESB.

Mr John Corcoran, aged 63, with an address at Fawnlough, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary; latter an ESB engineer who was tossed into the air by a rutting stag, while in the area of Cnoc Na Coille Duibhe, latter a remote hill north west of Templemore, Co. Tipperary, (back in September 2016), has settled his action taken against his employers; latter the commercial semi-state concern known as ESB.

The case taken by Mr Corcoran had been adjourned, after he had to attend hospital, having suffered a serious asthma attack while in the courts witness box, earlier this week.

Mr Justice Paul Coffey was informed today that the case had now been settled, in addition to another case also brought by Mr Corcoran against the ESB, in relation to alleged exposure to asbestos.

We understand that the terms of Mr Corcoran agreed settlement are to remain confidential.