Thurles Information

Long Awaited Thurles Bypass Expected To Feature In New National Development Plan.

Project first proposed in 2009 seen as key to easing Thurles congestion and boosting local economy.

The long-awaited Thurles bypass is expected to feature in the forthcoming revision of the National Development Plan (NDP), which is due to be formally announced on Tuesday, November 25th.

First proposed in 2009, the project was shelved following the economic crash, but has remained a long-term priority for the business community. The long awaited bypass is viewed as being critical to easing chronic traffic congestion in the town and hopefully unlocking the towns wider economic potential.

**Damage caused on a regular basis by heavy goods vehicles.**
*Pic: G. Willoughby*.

Traffic volumes in Thurles, particularly heavy goods vehicles passing through Liberty Square, have long been a source of frustration for residents and businesses, as two national secondary routes currently converge in the town centre.

According to Tipperary County Council’s management report (May 2025), a preferred route corridor for the bypass was identified in 2011 and remains safeguarded. The council has reiterated its call for inclusion of the project in this latest NDP cycle, warning that any further delay could push delivery beyond 2040.

Detailed design work on associated relief roads has also been completed, with supporting documentation now under review as part of the statutory approval process.

This news indicating that the bypass will proceed, will be greatly welcomed by both business and community leaders in Thurles same seen as essential to ensuring Thurles can thrive as a safe and accessible regional hub.

If fully confirmed in the updated NDP, the Thurles bypass would represent one of the most significant infrastructure commitments for mid-Tipperary in recent decades.
Construction is expected to follow later in the plan’s timeline, subject to final funding and planning approvals.

The revised National Development Plan will be formally announced on Tuesday, November 25th, and it will then fall to our local representatives to help drive forward a project they have in the past been slow to champion.

Cycling To Fiscal Responsibility? Not When Your Bike Shed Pricier Than My House.

€18,611 Per Bike? That’s One Expensive Two-Wheeler Area.
Bike Rack or Bank Vault? €336K Suggests the Wheels Were Secured Through Gold Bars.

Simon Harris faced a wave of criticism from the public after news broke about the €336,000 bike shed erected at Leinster House.

Dozens of emails accused the then Taoiseach and other politicians of wasting taxpayer money, with some suggesting the project symbolised everything wrong with government spending priorities.

**Leinster House’s Deluxe Bike Hangar: While Taxpayers Wait In The Rain**.

An internal audit later found that no value-for-money assessment was carried out before construction began. The controversy intensified after it emerged that a separate €190,000 was being spent on a fitness instructor for TDs.

**Failure by OPW to plan *“hot air”* openings for Tipperary politicians.**

Many correspondents expressed anger over what they saw as misplaced priorities, contrasting the bike shed’s cost with ongoing struggles faced by families of children with disabilities and survivors of State institutions.
One disgruntled observer locally in Thurles was heard to quip that a section of the shed should open occasionally, to allow “hot air” to escape, from Tipperary politicians.

Death Of Pádraig O’Dwyer, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

It was with great sadness that we learned of the death, yesterday Sunday 9th November 2025 of Mr Pádraig O’Dwyer, Liberty Square, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

Pre-deceased by his parents Jack and Kitty (née Delahunty); Mr O’Dwyer passed away peacefully at his place of residence, following a short illness.

His passing is most deeply regretted, sadly missed and lovingly remembered by his sorrowing family; loving wife Gabriella (McLoughney), daughters Chelsie and Keely, grand-daughter Ruby, brothers John and Conor, sisters Siobhan (Minogue), Caitríona (Harold) and Mary (Doyle), sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, mother-in-law Gerda, aunt Mary, uncle Colm, godmother Joan, nephews, nieces, cousins and wide circle of friends.

Rest in peace.

Funeral Arrangements.

A private service of cremation will take place on Wednesday November 12th.
His ashes will repose at Hugh Ryan’s Funeral Home, Slievenamon Road, Thurles, (Eircode E41 CP59) on Saturday afternoon, November 15th, from 5:00pm until 7:00pm same evening.

The extended O’Dwyer family wish to express their appreciation for your understanding at this difficult time, and have made arrangements for those persons wishing to send messages of condolence, to use the link shown HERE.

In ár gcroíthe go deo.

Thurles Co. Tipperary Shopping Forecast.

Why An Electric Soup Maker Might Be The Smartest Buy This Black Friday.

The Kitchen Essential You’ll Want Before Black Friday: Why an Electric Soup Maker Is Worth Its Weight in Gold.

As the darker evenings draw in and the chill of winter settles over Tipperary, few things rival the comfort of a steaming bowl of homemade soup. It’s nourishing, cost-effective, and one of the simplest ways to ensure your five-a-day. Yet many households still rely on pre-prepared supermarket soups, often costing around €2.40 for just two portions, a habit that quickly adds up.

That’s where a good soup maker proves its worth [View Here].
Compact, efficient, and easy to use, a 1,600 ml model will quickly pay for itself, while helping households cut food waste and embrace healthier eating. With the right ingredients on hand, you can prepare delicious, nutritious soups in under half an hour; ideal for busy families or anyone looking for warmth and real sustenance during the winter months.
With its fully sealed design, you’ll have it sparkling clean in seconds; just run it under tap water then dry and it’s ready to go!

Black Friday Bargains on the Horizon
If you’ve been thinking about upgrading your kitchen gear, there’s good news. Black Friday, one of the biggest retail events of the year, takes place this year on Friday, November 28th, followed by Cyber Monday on December 1st.

While it’s not a public holiday in Ireland, the shopping event has grown enormously in recent years, with retailers offering discounts both in-store and online; often across the entire weekend. From electronics to homeware and kitchen gadgets, there’s no better time to pick up a few practical bargains that will see you through the winter season.

A soup maker, in particular, is one investment that will pay dividends long after the Black Friday sales are over. Not only does it make healthy eating easy, but it also delivers that simple satisfaction of homemade food, rich in flavour and free from those unnecessary perservatives/additives.

A Simple, Delicious Winter Soup:
To show just how easy it can be, here’s a tried-and-tested recipe that serves six generous portions at a total cost of about €2.00, proof that real healthy eating for a family doesn’t have to be expensive.

Ingredients:
3 sticks celery.
4 carrots.
1 small parsnip.
1 medium onion.
1 medium potato.
3 pieces broccoli.
2 Knorr stock cubes.
800–900 ml boiling water.
Salt and black pepper to taste.
Adding a dash of turmeric is optional

Method:
Slice all the vegetables into small pieces and place them into your 1,600 ml soup maker.
Add the boiling water, stock cubes, seasoning, and turmeric (if using).
Secure the lid into place and select your smooth-soup setting on the lid.
About 21 minutes later, your delicious, piping-hot soup will be ready to serve, with the machine having done all the work including telling you it is ready and switching itself off.

Tip: Always follow the machine’s instructions regarding the ‘MAX’ fill marker, overfilling can affect performance.

A Feast Fit for Royalty
Enjoy your fresh, homemade soup with a slice (or two) of fresh brown bread available fresh from Townhouse Deli on Slievenamon Road, Thurles, and your simple meal transforms into a feast fit for royalty. The deli’s warm, crusty loaves baked fresh daily, perfectly complement a hearty winter soup, bringing comfort and local flavour to the table.

The Smart Seasonal Investment
Whether you’re cooking for one or feeding a family, a soup maker is one of the most practical, and rewarding, kitchen gadgets you can own. With Black Friday on the horizon, it’s well worth keeping an eye out for discounts. You’ll be saving money, eating better, and keeping warm all winter long, one bowl at a time.

Irish Government Announce Approval To Progress Operation Encompass.

Operation Encompass is an early intervention strategy which aims to provide immediate support for children impacted by domestic violence.
It involves An Garda Síochána notifying the school where the child attends that there was a domestic violence incident in the home, so that a teacher can provide care and support.
Measures on information sharing included in the General Scheme of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences, Domestic Violence and International Instruments) Bill 2025.

Government announce approval for the drafting of legislation which will allow for information sharing between An Garda Síochána and schools in order to strengthen protection for children impacted by violence in the home.

The General Scheme of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences, Domestic Violence and International Instruments) Bill 2025 includes measures to allow Gardai to inform a designated person in a school that a domestic violence incident has occurred in a pupil’s home, similar to the Operation Encompass early intervention strategy already in place in Northern Ireland.

It has been established to ensure a child’s school will be informed at the appropriate time that a domestic violence incident has occurred in the home of the child. The school is made aware so that the child can receive additional support in their care and learning following the incident.

Teachers are not expected to take any action, other than being sensitive to the fact that the child may have witnessed a distressing incident of domestic abuse. The discreet support will be based on the needs and wishes of the child. An Garda Síochána will only be allowed to share with the school that a domestic violence incident occurred in the household. No other details will be provided.

Under Zero Tolerance, the Third National Strategy on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, there is an action to scope and develop an operational framework to introduce a scheme along the lines of Operation Encompass in the Irish system in collaboration with the relevant stakeholders.

Government officials are working closely with their counterparts in Northern Ireland to draw on experiences and learnings to inform the operationalist of Operation Encompass here.

Ongoing scoping work around implementation of the scheme will include a cross-border learning event to draw on insights and experiences from the implementation of Operation Encompass in Northern Ireland, which commenced via a pilot programme in September 2021, informing a broader roll out to covering all schools in the North. Key stakeholders from both sides of the border will be invited to attend and engage in this event.