Thurles Information

Irish Government Publishes Civil Reform Bill.

Irish Government Publishes Civil Reform Bill To Overhaul Judicial Review And Streamline Courts Processes.

The General Scheme of the Civil Reform Bill includes measures to:

Place Judicial Review on a statutory basis, with a public interest test at the centre of the process ensuring balance and protection of common good.
Prevent abuse of the discovery process by introducing a new production regime that will be more effective, efficient and lead to lower costs.
Raise monetary limits on the jurisdiction of the Circuit and District Courts, reducing legal costs by allowing more non-complex cases to be heard in lower courts.

The Irish Government has today published the General Scheme of the Civil Reform Bill to reform the Judicial Review mechanism and streamline other key courts processes.

The Civil Reform Bill is a key measure that will see the implementation of the Review of the Administration of Civil Justice, also known as the Kelly Report, which was published back in October 2020.
This Report made over 90 recommendations aimed at improving access to justice for all, by making it quicker, more efficient and more cost effective.

The Bill introduces reforms in relation to Discovery and Civil Procedure in the Courts, as well as a change to the monetary limits on the jurisdiction of the Circuit and District Courts.

The proposed Bill will also provide for a suite of civil reform measures including:

Creation of case conduct principles;
presumption against granting of adjournments;
pre-action protocols extended beyond clinical negligence proceedings;
limiting the term of a Lis Pendens;
deemed discontinuance of civil actions;
plaintiffs in personal injuries actions to distinguish between pre-existing injuries and those which are the subject of the claim;
extension of rules committees’ remit to include rules of evidence in civil proceedings.

The government feels confident that the Civil Reform Bill will remove weaknesses in the current law, eliminate impediments to progress and deliver reform that benefits the public and will also reserve the right of the citizen to ensure public bodies act lawfully and are accountable for their decisions.

The published Review of the Administration of Civil Justice can be found at the following link: HERE.

Women’s Christmas Marked In Thurles & A Final Visit To The Cathedral Crib.

Nollaig na mBan: Women’s Christmas marked in Thurles with a final festive visit to the magnificent Cathedral Crib.

The 12th and final day of Christmas, January 6th, is celebrated in Ireland as Nollaig na mBan, (Women’s Christmas), or Little Christmas, traditionally seen as a day of rest and recognition for women folk after the fine work undertaken during the festive season.

To mark this occasion, families and visitors are being encouraged to enjoy one last seasonal highlight in Thurles: the Christmas Crib in the Cathedral of the Assumption, Cathedral Street, a display that has once again, drawn quiet admiration throughout the 2025/2026 Christmas season.

**“Love, quietly born with togetherness the gift.”**

A parish spokesperson said Nollaig na mBan provides “a fitting moment to close out Christmas with reflection and gratitude, and to acknowledge the strength and generosity shown in homes and communities right across the season.”

A cherished custom and a little piece of folklore.
Alongside the visit, many will recognise a well-loved tradition associated with the Crib: legend has it that if you take a small piece of straw from a Crib at Christmas time and keep it in your purse or wallet, it will never be found empty in the year ahead. The custom is remembered in different parts of Ireland as a simple token of good fortune for the months to come.

Looking ahead: Supporting the Cathedral roof project.

The parish is well aware that, while the Crib is a seasonal centrepiece, attention is now again turning to a major practical need in the near future: the Cathedral roof is approaching the end of its lifespan and is expected to require full replacement within the coming years as part of the parish’s ongoing “Raise the Roof” efforts.
In that spirit, the parish is encouraging the wider community to continue supporting the Cathedral’s upkeep and future.

Hence, we echo the message of Hebrews 10:24: “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.”

2025 Identified As Ireland’s Second Warmest Year On Record.

Met Éireann’s figures from Gurteen AWS (Automatic Weather Station); latter situated on the grounds of Gurteen Agricultural College, Co. Tipperary, point to 28 very wet days and 33 frost days, in the Thurles area.

Met Éireann’s Annual Climate Statement for 2025 confirms that indeed 2025 was Ireland’s second warmest year on record (since 1900), continuing a clear warming trend, with 2022 to 2025 now the four warmest years in the national series.

Using the Island of Ireland dataset, Met Éireann reports an average annual air temperature of 11.14°C for 2025, 1.59°C above the 1961 to 1990 long-term average and 0.97°C above the 1991 to 2020 average.
Provisional rainfall for 2025 is 1,338.7mm, around 104% of the 1991 to 2020 long-term average, placing 2025 as the 15th wettest year since 1941.

Met Éireann’s Gurteen AWS also notes the year included the warmest and sunniest spring on record, the warmest summer on record, and a very wet autumn (the 4th wettest on record), with major weather impacts including ‘Storm Éowyn‘ which witnessed record winds at Mace Head, Co. Galway.

Thurles area snapshot: (nearest official monthly “weather events” station being Gurteen, Co Tipperary)
While Met Éireann’s Annual Climate Statement is national in scope, its Public Works Contracts “weather events” tables provide month-by-month counts at station level. The closest suitable station for a Thurles-area proxy is Gurteen, Co Tipperary, which recorded the following information in 2025:

Days with rainfall >10mm: 28 days in total.
Monthly counts: Jan 2nd, Feb 2nd, Mar 1st, Apr 4th, May 2nd, Jun 1st, Jul 2nd, Aug 0, Sep 3rd, Oct 6th, Nov 3rd, Dec 2nd.

Frost days (minimum temperature <0°C): 33 days in total.
Monthly counts: Jan 13th, Feb 5th, Mar 5th, Apr 1st, May 1st, Jun 0, Jul 0, Aug 0, Sep 0, Oct 0, Nov 4th, Dec 4th.

Wind threshold days (maximum 10-minute mean wind speed ≥15m/s): 4 days in total
Monthly counts: Jan 1st, Feb 1st, Mar 0, Apr 0, May 0, Jun 0, Jul 0, Aug 0, Sep 0, Oct 1st, Nov 0, Dec 1th.

These month-by-month counts are published as an objective measure of whether weather thresholds are exceeded for public works contract purposes, and provide a useful, locally relevant indicator of very wet days, frost incidence and notable wind events in the wider mid-Tipperary area.

Death Of Niamh Kinnane, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

It was with a great personal sadness that I learned of the death, yesterday Monday 5th January 2026, of Ms Niamh Kinnane, (Tábhairneoir Kinnanes Pub/Restaurant), Upperchurch Village, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

Pre-deceased by her parents Paddy Kinnane and Kathleen (née Shanahan) and her brother-in-law Jimmy Butler; Ms Kinnane passed away peacefully, while in the care of staff at Nenagh General Hospital, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary.

Her passing is most deeply regretted, sadly missed and lovingly remembered by her sorrowing family; loving sister Siobhan (Butler), nephew Fergal Butler, niece-in-law Eavan (Fogarty), grandniece and grandnephew Maisie and Andy, extended relatives, neighbours and close and wonderful friends.

Requiescat in Pace.

Funeral Arrangements.

The earthly remains of Ms Kinnane will repose at O’Dwyer’s Funeral Home, Cappanaleigh, Upperchurch, Thurles, (Eircode E41 FN34), on Wednesday afternoon, January 7th, from 5:00pm until 8:00pm, same evening.
Her remains will be received into the nearby Church of the Sacred Heart, Upperchurch, Thurles, (Eircode E41V389), to further repose for Requiem Mass on Thursday afternoon, at 1:00pm, followed by interment, immediately afterwards in nearby Upperchurch Cemetery, Upperchurch Village, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

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

The extended Kinnane 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 Joan O’Dwyer, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

It was with great sadness that we learned of the death, yesterday Monday 5th January 2026 of Mrs Joan O’Dwyer (née Kennedy), No.3 St. Brigid’s Villas, Borrisoleigh, Thurles, Co. Tipperary and formerly of Mt. Kinnane, Borrisoleigh, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

Pre-deceased by her parent’s Pat and Nonie, sister Bridie and infant brother Christopher; Mrs O’Dwyer, sadly, passed away unexpectedly at her place of ordinary residence.

Her passing is most deeply regretted, sadly missed and lovingly remembered by her sorrowing family; loving husband Tommy, daughters Denise (Gould) and Lorraine (Carroll), grandchildren Harry, Jack, Charlie and Clodagh, sons-in-law James and John, sister Mary, brothers John, Pat and Gerard, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, extended relatives, neighbours and many friends.

Requiescat in Pace.

Funeral Arrangements.

The earthly remains of Mrs O’Dwyer, will repose at Kennedy’s funeral home, Castlecourt, Borrisoleigh, Thurles, (Eircode E41 VX81), on Wednesday evening, January 7th, from 8:00pm until 9:30pm.
Her remains will be received into the nearby, Church of the Sacred Heart, Pallas Street, Borrisoleigh, Thurles, on Thursday afternoon, January 8th, to further repose for Requiem Mass at 2:00pm, followed by interment in St Brigid’s Cemetery, Borrisoleigh, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

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

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.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a h-anam dílis.