Thurles Information

Thurles, Co. Tipperary Councillor Fails In Her Environmental Responsibility.

While we as residents of Tipperary congratulate and laud the magnificent achievements; the talent and the skills of “Ronan and The Tipperary Team”, against Cork, back on Sunday July 20th last; one person in our midst has sought to abuse their position in Thurles, in search of self-glorification.

The phrase “Ignorance of the law is no excuse” is a legal principle, also known as “ignorantia juris non excusat”, meaning a person cannot escape liability for violating a law, by simply claiming they did not know about it.
If people could avoid responsibility by claiming ignorance, same would undermine the very rule of law itself, thus making it impossible to enforce, fairly, every person’s legal obligations within the State.
The law therefore expects a reasonably prudent person, regardless of their standing in society, to understand and abide by their societal roles, duties, and responsibilities.

This stated, one specific reserved function of elected Irish County Councillors is to approve policies with regards to environmental protection, especially at this time in our history. However, it appears this rule does not apply to one elected councillor, Cllr Kay Cahill-Skehan, latter a resident of Thurles town.

Time and time again in Thurles certain people seeking either election, or self-glorification, continue to damage our trees on roads leading into our town.

**Environmental Responsibility “More honoured in the breach than the observance”**.
*Pics: G. Willoughby*.

Damaging public trees in Ireland is a criminal offence under the Criminal Damage Act 1991 and the Forestry Act 2014, carrying both severe penalties and fines.
The severity of such penalties depends on the nature and extent of the damage, with severe penalties for offences under the Criminal Damage Act.
Local authorities can impose compensation charges for damage to council-owned trees. These trees in question shown in the photographs above, (and one, not shown, existing on the Nenagh road) are all council-owned; paid for by the former North Tipperary Co. Council and sown by Thurles Tidy Towns Committee members, some 30 years ago, in the autumn of 1995.

The tree on the Dublin road has no fewer than 13 tech screws driven deep into its bark to hold up this egotistical and narcissistic sign.
The primary purpose of a tech screw is to fasten metal without needing to drill a pilot hole. They achieve this function by way of a specialized drill-point tip which allows it to drill, tap and secure the screw in one single motion, thus saving time and effort by eliminating the need for a separate pre-drilling process.

Relevant Legislation and Offences
Criminal Damage Act 1991: This act covers damaging property, including public trees, without lawful excuse.
Forestry Act 2014: This act addresses offences related to unlawful tree felling and damage.
Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs): Local authorities can issue TPOs to protect trees on amenity grounds, preventing their removal or damage without consent.

Penalties and Consequences.
Fines: Fines can be substantial, with the Forestry Act 2014 setting penalties up to €25,000 for certain offences.
Local Councils can levy a compensation charge to cover the cost of damage to council-owned trees.
Prosecution: An Garda Síochána can prosecute under the Criminal Damage Act 1991 for damage to council-owned trees.

How to Report Damage or Check Tree Status.
Contact Local Authority: To report damage to a council-owned tree, contact the Planning Department of your local County Council. The posters have been in place for some 8 weeks, with no effort whatsoever to remove same.

The matter has now been reported to Thurles Municipal District Council officials to take necessary action.

Death Of Eddie Moore, Formerly Of Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

It was with sadness that we learned of the death, yesterday Sunday 7th September 2025, of Mr Eddie Moore, No. 22 McCarthyville, Abbeyside, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford and formerly of Holycross, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

Pre-deceased by his beloved wife Margaret (nee Fogarty), daughter Catherine, grandchildren Sinead, James, Declan and Zac, daughters-in-law Breda and Ann, parents John and Ellen, brothers Kevin, Raymond, Jimmy and sister Eileen; Mr Moore passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family, while in the tender care of staff at University Hospital, Waterford City.

His passing is most deeply regretted, sadly missed and lovingly remembered by his sorrowing family; loving sons John, Richard, Edward, James, Raymond, Liam, Kevin, Thomas and Dermot, daughters Martina and Eleanor, daughters-in-law Deirdre, Bozena, Elaine, Petrea, Jill and John’s partner Marie, sons-in-law Martin (Landers) and Derek (Grant), grandchildren, great grandchildren, brother Sean, sisters Maureen and Kathleen, nephews, nieces, extended relatives, neighbours and many friends.

Requiescat in Pace.

Funeral Arrangements.

The earthly remains of Mr Moore will repose at his place of ordinary residence, No. 22, McCarthyville, Abbeyside, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford (Eircode X35 CD36) on Wednesday afternoon, September 10th from 4:00pm until 7:00pm same evening, with Rosary recited at 6:30pm.
His remains will be received into the Church of St. Augustine, Abbeyside, Dungarvan, to further repose for Requiem Mass on Thursday morning September 11th, at 11:00am, followed by interment, immediately afterwards, in St. Laurence’s Cemetery, Ballinroad, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford.

For those persons who would wish to attend Requiem Mass for Mr Moore, but for reasons cannot, same can be viewed streamed live online, HERE.

The extended Moore 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.

Note Please: Family flowers only. Donations in lieu, if desired, to the Solas Cancer Centre or Deise Day Centre.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis

Death Of John Kennedy, Formerly Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

It was with sadness that we learned of the death, yesterday Sunday 7th September 2025, of Mr John Kennedy, Cork City; formerly Bristol, United Kingdom and Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

Pre-deceased by his parents Danny and Nuala, sister Marie, niece Fiona Butler, brothers-in-law Peter Richards and Michael (Stykes) McCormack; Mr Kennedy passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family, while in the care of staff of Cork University Hospital and Marymount Hospice, Cork.

His passing is most deeply regretted, sadly missed and lovingly remembered by his sorrowing family; loving sisters Kathryn (Richards) and Margaret (McCormack, Galboola, Littleton), nieces Louise and Ella, nephew Leon, grand-nieces Lexi and Lily, grand-nephews Ally, Finn, Nathan and Daniel, great-grand-niece Freya, uncle Con (Kennedy), aunt Norah (Condon), cousins, extended relatives, neighbours and friends.

Rest in Peace.

Funeral Arrangements.

The remains of Mr Kennedy will repose at Hugh Ryan’s Funeral Home, Slievenamon Road, Thurles, on tomorrow afternoon, Tuesday, September 9th, from 5:00pm until 7:00pm, same evening.
An interment service will take place in Littleton Cemetery, Littleton, Thurles, Co. Tipperary, on Wednesday morning, September 10th, at 11:00am.

The extended Kennedy 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.

Death Of Ita Nash, Templederry, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary.

It was with sadness that we learned of the death, yesterday Saturday 6th September 2025, of Mrs Ita Nash [née Ryan (Bawn)], Cloghinch, Templederry, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary and formerly of Clonganhue, Cappawhite, Co. Tipperary and Doon, Co. Limerick.

Pre-deceased by her beloved husband Miah; Mrs Nash passed away peacefully surrounded by her loving family.

Her passing is most deeply regretted, sadly missed and lovingly remembered by her sorrowing family; loving children Henry, Jo, Karen and Maria, daughter-in-law Sinead, sons-in-law James and Seb, adored grandchildren Diarmuid, Katie, Dara, Caoimhe, Myah, Lily, Neil and Evie, her sister-in-law Ena, extended relatives, neighbours and friends.

Requiescat in Pace.

Funeral Arrangements.

The earthly remains of Mrs Nash will repose at her home in Cloghinch, Templederry, Nenagh, (Eircode E45 EY01), this afternoon, Monday September 8th, from 5:00pm, with removal at 8:00pm to the nearby Church of the Immaculate Conception, Templederry, Nenagh, arriving at 8:30pm same evening.
Requiem Mass will be offered for Mrs Nash on Tuesday morning, September 9th, at 11:00am, followed by interment, immediately afterwards, in Doon Cemetery, Co. Limerick.

The extended Nash and Ryan families 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.

“The extended Nash and Ryan family would like to thank the staff of St. Conlon’s Nursing Home, Nenagh, for their kindness and care.”

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a h-anam dílis.

Thurles MD Council Set To Tackle Overflowing & Shocking Problems.

Tomorrow morning, September 8th, a few Thurles Municipal District councillors will gather for their monthly meeting, latter a time-honoured event where the real challenge isn’t making decisions, but finding a topic colourful enough to secure a quote or a photograph in the paper, or even a 10 minute clip on local radio.

This month, however, two burning issues (one quite literally) await them:

Issue (1) Liberty Square’s “Shock Feature”.

Motorists exiting the shiny new, half finished, Liberty Square area, into the new car park, may notice an ESB junction box/cabinet, carefully positioned where nobody can see it until it’s too late.
Local observers have described it as “Thurles town’s first drive-thru toaster,” raising concerns that a poorly placed cabinet and a passing bumper could one day combine to produce Thurles’ first-ever flame-grilled shopper.
One lady has suggested that the engineer responsible should be castigated. (I hope I have spelt that word correctly).
While some might view this as a design flaw, others see potential: “It could be an electrifying tourist experience,” said one local. “Where else can you risk being fried without paying an admission fee?”
But look on the dark side; for the first time in 3 years, the lights in the pavement no longer work during daylight hours. I wonder where that white piece on the side went? (See image above).

Issue (2) Parnell Street’s Garment Pod Avalanche.

Meanwhile, the town’s clothing recycling pods are reportedly following a “fill once, empty never” maintenance schedule/policy, as I observed today. Overflowing bags and the odd suitcase now cascade gracefully onto tarmac, creating what locals have dubbed “The Thurles Textile Centre.”
Some residents are calling for official walking tours of the mounds of garments, while others suggest the pods be reclassified as public art. “At least it adds colour,” remarked one passerby, “though the smell in Summer could be as bad as the Suir-side walkway.”
Speaking of the Suir-side walkway; other observers suggested that those responsible for this littering should have thrown their ‘unwanted couture‘ behind the bushes at the swinging gates on Emmett Street, like other considerate idiosyncrasies.

Local Councillors New Dilemma.
Faced with these pressing concerns, councillors must now decide; will tomorrow’s headlines read “Councillors Prevent Electrocution” or “Overflowing Pods Finally Emptied”?
Or, more likely, with Xmas on the way, will they spend 45 minutes debating the colours of fairy lights, before returning to their other places of employment.

But keep in mind the writings of St Matthew 6:24 on double jobbers councillors, quote; “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other”