Thurles Information

Significant Cannabis Seizure At Shannon Airport.

An operation involving officers from Revenue Commissioners Customs and An Garda Síochána has resulted in the seizure of approximately 30 kg of herbal cannabis, with a market value of approximately €600,000, at Shannon Airport in County Clare.

A male in his 20s has now been arrested and is currently detained at a Garda station in the Clare/Tipperary division, under the provisions of Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996.

The seized cannabis will be forwarded to Forensic Science Ireland for further analysis. Investigations remain ongoing at this time.

Members of the public or businesses with information relevant to this investigation are encouraged to contact the Revenue Commissioners confidentially on Tel: 1800 295 295 or to engage with An Garda Síochána as appropriate.

Two Enforcement Orders Served On Tipperary Food Businesses In October.

In total thirteen enforcement orders were served on food businesses in October.

During the month of October one prosecution was taken by the Health Service Executive in relation to:

Riverhouse Café (Restaurant/ Café), No1 Castle Street, Cahir, Tipperary

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) today reported that Environmental Health Officers in the Health Service Executive (HSE) served eleven Closure Orders and two Prohibition Orders on food businesses during the month of October for breaches of food safety legislation, pursuant to the FSAI Act, 1998 and the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020.

Eight Closure Orders were served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on:

The Crescent Stores (Closed areas: 1. Storeroom 1st floor; 2. Adjoining corridor area) (Retailer), 1 Thomas Street, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary
Corrib Oil Spar Express, Castlerea (Retailer), Patrick Street, Castlerea, Roscommon
West Wing Restaurant, N17 Business Park, Galway Road, Tuam, Galway
Kimchi Hop House (Restaurant/ Café), 160 – 161 Parnell Street, Dublin 1
Base Wood Fired Pizza (under appeal) (Restaurant/Café), Unit 1, Aldi Centre, Mill Road, Killincarrig, Greystones, Wicklow.
Camile Thai (Service Sector), 5 Dolphin’s Barn Street, Dolphin’s Barn, Dublin 8
TOP 3 CHINESE (Restaurant/ Café), 2 Lower Kilmacud Road, Stillorgan, Co. Dublin
The premises occupied by The Lunch Bag Unlimited Company, at Killester, Raheny, Clontarf Educate Together National School (Service Sector), Collins Avenue East, Clontarf West, Dublin 5

Three Closure Orders were served under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020 on:

Diamond Pizza (Restaurant/Café),163 Drumcondra Road Lower, Drumcondra, Dublin 9
Nua Bia (Service Sector), Poppintree Sports Centre, Balbutcher Lane, Poppintree, Ballymun, Dublin 11
Cellar 22 and Floritz (Closed activities: the activity of vacuum packing ready-to-eat foods in the raw-designated vacuum packing machine and the preparing and serving of raw beef for direct consumption, namely beef tartare must cease immediately) (Restaurant Café), 22 Saint Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2

Two Prohibition Orders were served under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020 on:

Foodliner Supermarket (Butcher Shop), Main St, Ballaghaderreen, Roscommon
Lucaci Fast Travel (Retailer), Unit 3, Lagan Road, Cabra East, Dublin 11

Some of the reasons for the Enforcement Orders in October include: evidence of rodent activity in food handling and storage areas, with rat droppings found in a kitchen and cleaning equipment store, a dead rat discovered under a dishwasher, and mice droppings observed inside presses and drawers storing opened and prepacked foodstuffs, as well as utensils; inadequate pest proofing and a failure to clean and disinfect the premises following the discovery of rodent activity in areas where food and food contact materials were stored; sightings of mice near a delicatessen counter; food handling staff not trained or supervised to an appropriate level; insufficient evidence of an effective food safety management system based on HACCP principles; inadequate procedures for the safe thawing of foodstuffs; a lack of basic cleaning and disinfection of food preparation surfaces and equipment; mould growth and dirt accumulation behind kitchen chill units; the absence of hot water, hand soap and paper towels at wash hand basins; defective drainage systems where grease traps and waste pipes were discharging into open containers and food placed on the market not properly labelled or traceable through appropriate documentation.

Mr Greg Dempsey, Chief Executive, FSAI, said “October’s Enforcement Orders once again highlight the importance of maintaining strong food safety and hygiene practices across all food businesses. Issues such as inadequate pest control, poor cleaning standards and unsafe food storage continue to be the main reasons for enforcement action. These are entirely preventable non-compliances when proper food safety management systems are in place. While the majority of food businesses take their legal responsibilities very seriously, we continue to see a small number of businesses subject to enforcement action, including closure, due to their non-compliances with basic food safety standards.”

“With the busy Christmas period fast approaching, we are reminding food businesses to start preparing now so that they have robust food safety procedures in place to deal with increased demands and pressures on their business. Food safety must always be their top priority,” added Mr Dempsey.

Details of the food businesses served with Enforcement Orders are published on the FSAI’s website. Closure Orders and Improvement Orders will remain listed in the enforcement reports on the website for a period of three months from the date of when a premises is adjudged to have corrected its food safety issue, with Prohibition Orders being listed for a period of one month.

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.