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When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again.

When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again.

Lyrics: Popular 1940s country television performer, dancer, singer and fiddler, the late Wiley Walker (1911-1966) and songwriter, the late Gene Sullivan (1914–1984).
Vocals: American country music singer, songwriter, guitarist and fiddler, the late Merle Haggard (1937–2016).

The Late Merle Haggard.

When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again.

When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again.

When my blue moon turns to gold again,
And the rainbow turns the clouds away,
But someday they’ll live again, sweetheart,
And my blue moon again will turn to gold.

Memories that linger in my heart,
Memories that make my heart grow cold,
Then someday they’ll live again, sweetheart,
And my blue moon again will turn to gold.

When my blue moon turns to gold again,
And the rainbow turns the clouds away,
When my blue moon turns to gold again,
You’ll be back within my arms to stay.
You’ll be back within my arms to stay.

END

Thurles Student Crowned Lions Clubs Ireland “Young Ambassador of the 21st Century”.

Thurles student Ms Caitlin Tierney has been crowned Lions Clubs Ireland “Young Ambassador of the 21st Century”

Ms Tierney, a student studying at the Ursuline Secondary School, in Thurles has been named Lions Clubs Ireland Young Ambassador of the 21st Century, following the national finals held last weekend.

Photo L-R: Ms Mary Slattery (Thurles Lions Club Vice President), Ms Caitlin Tierney and Mr William McDonagh (Thurles Lions Club).

Ms Tierney, who had been selected just before Christmas to represent Thurles Lions Club, was announced as the overall national winner, an achievement that recognises exceptional community involvement and a strong connection to the values and service work carried out by Lions Clubs.

As Ireland’s new ‘Young Ambassador’, Ms Tierney will now go forward to represent Ireland at the European stage of the competition, latter to be held in Germany.

The award also includes a €1,000 bursary, to be donated to a charity of her choice or used to support a community project, along with a three-week international exchange in a country of her choice, to take place this summer or next.
Ms Tierney will also participate in the UK finals as part of the wider programme experience.

The Young Ambassador of the 21st Century initiative is a Lions Youth Programme, run across Europe, which highlights young people, aged 15–19, for community service, leadership and communication skills, while encouraging volunteering as a key part of leadership.

Death Of Mary Morley, Formerly Of Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

It was with great sadness that we learned of the death, yesterday Sunday 18th January 2026, of Mrs Mary Morley (née Phelan) Rathcoole, Co. Dublin and formerly of Cranagh, Templetuohy, Thurles Co. Tipperary.

Pre-deceased by her parents Tom and Kitty, brothers Ollie and Tommy; Mrs Morley passed away peacefully at Our Lady’s Hospice, Harold’s Cross, Dublin surrounded by her loving family.

Her passing is most deeply regretted, sadly missed and lovingly remembered by her sorrowing family; loving husband Pat, daughter Emma and her partner Eoin, grandchildren Ben and Lucy, sister Josephine, brother Gerard, in-laws, extended relatives, neighbours and friends.

Requiescat in Pace.

Funeral Arrangements.

The earthly remains of Mrs Morley will repose for Requiem Mass on Thursday morning, January 22nd at the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saggart, Dublin (Eircode D24 E867) at 11:00am, followed by interment, immediately afterwards, in Saggart Cemetery, Castle Road, Saggart, Co. Dublin.

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

The extended Morley 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: House strictly private. Family flowers only. Donations in lieu of flowers, if desired, to Our Lady’s Hospice, Harold’s Cross, in memory of Mrs Mary Morley.

Death Of Noreen Moriarty, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

It was with great sadness that we learned of the death, yesterday Sunday 18th January 2026, of Mrs Noreen Moriarty, Rushmere, Cabra Road, Thurles, Co. Tipperary and formerly of Claremorris, Co. Mayo.

Pre-deceased by her husband Joe, three infant babies, sister Margaret, and brothers Mike and John; Mrs Moriarty passed away peacefully, while in the care of staff at Drakelands House Nursing Home, Co. Kilkenny.of Rushmere, Cabra Road, Thurles, Co. Tipperary .

Her passing is most deeply regretted, sadly missed and lovingly remembered by her sorrowing family; loving daughters Orla (Murphy), Nessa (Canny), Ann and son Conor, sons-in-law Pat and Tony, daughter-in-law Jude (Cross), grandchildren Stephen and partner Aisling,, Aoife and husband David, Eoin, Niamh, John, Joe (Canny), Joe (Moriarty) and Kate, great-grand-daughter Ada, nieces, nephews, extended relatives, neighbours and friends.

Requiescat in Pace.

Funeral Arrangements.

The earthly remains of Mrs Moriarty will repose at the residence of her daughter Mrs Nessa Canny, at Churchill, Cuffesgrange, Co. Kilkenny, (Eircode R95 F1W3), on tomorrow afternoon, Tuesday 20th January, from 5:00pm until 7:00pm same evening.
Her remains will be received into the Cathedral of the Assumption, Cathedral Street, Thurles, (Eircode E41 A528), on Wednesday morning, January 21st, at 10:30am, to further repose for Requiem Mass at 11:00am, followed by interment, immediately afterwards, in St Patrick’s Cemetery, Moyne Road, Lognafulla, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

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

The extended Moriarty 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.

Tipperary Tourism Optimism Jars With Eurostat’s National Dip In 2025.

Thurles Tourism Debate: Part III.

A series of upbeat tourism announcements and investment-led press releases in County Tipperary are landing against a stark national backdrop, after Eurostat reported that Ireland was one of only two EU member states to record a fall in tourist accommodation nights in 2025.

Eurostat’s early estimates show EU tourism nights hit a record 3.08 billion in 2025, up 2% year-on-year, while Ireland recorded a -2% decline (with Romania the only other country in negative territory).

Irish coverage of the figures has put the Republic’s total at 41.3 million tourist bed nights in 2025 (-1.8%), describing it as the weakest performance in the EU. The same reports note that the peak summer quarter (Q3 2025) fell 4.1%, with hotel nights down 8.4% and camping nights down 27%, while “holiday and other short-stay accommodation” rose 15.4%.

Of course, local press releases paint a different story: “growth”, “season extension”, “boost tourism”.

Despite the national decline, Tipperary tourism communications over the past year have repeatedly highlighted expansion, regeneration and new visitor offerings:-

Dromineer, Lough Derg (Nenagh MD): Tipperary County Council press material describes a €1.2m watersports facility as a “best-in-class” outdoor tourism hub intended to enhance the visitor experience and support year-round activity.
Roscrea (Grant’s Hotel): A Council press release on a feasibility study lists explicit objectives to “boost tourism activity” and increase footfall and dwell time in the town centre, alongside employment and night-time economy goals.
Carrick-on-Suir: A Council announcement confirms award of a €2.9m Phase 2 contract under the regeneration plan, presented as part of a wider town-centre renewal drive.
Thurles: Sadly the only tourism-tagged local event promotion (Feb 2025), shows a Council/MD posting highlighting for St Patrick’s Day Parade, Thurles (2025), categorised under Tourism, which pushes footfall activity in the town centre (music, attractions, participation).

Thurles it is time to wake up.

Countywide “Roadmap” messaging: The Tipperary Tourism Roadmap 2025–2030 sets out targets around economic growth, season extension and giving visitors reasons to stay longer, and was publicly launched in late November last year.

Fáilte Ireland funding (Midlands / JTF): A national press release announced €5.5m for 17 regenerative tourism projects, bringing the scheme’s announced tourism funding to almost €60m, reinforcing the wider policy message of building new and improved visitor experiences.

The core contradiction: publicity versus performance.
The tension is not that Tipperary’s projects are unwelcome, it is that headline-grabbing announcements about “growth” and “visitor experience” risk sounds hollow when the national data shows Ireland moving against the EU trend.

A key question now is whether local strategies are being matched with measurable outcomes, bed capacity, occupancy, shoulder-season activity, and value-for-money delivery, or whether Tipperary is simply publishing plans, while the wider system continues to lose ground.

We will be speaking about solutions in the coming days, so do stay tuned. Update Thurles Tourism Debate: Part IV.