Thurles Information

Gardaí Step Up Bank Holiday Patrols As 121 Drivers Are Arrested.

Gardaí have renewed their appeal for caution on Irish roads after 121 motorists were arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs during the August Bank Holiday weekend to date.

The nationwide roads policing campaign began on Thursday morning and is due to remain in place until Tuesday morning. Checkpoints, speed enforcement and patrols are continuing as large numbers of people travel home following the long weekend.

Tipperary RPU arrested 4 motorists on suspicion of intoxicated driving over the last day.
This afternoon Tipperary RPU with the assistance of TII carried out a mandatory intoxicated checkpoint on the M8 Motorway outside Thurles which led to 3 motorists being arrested on suspicion of Intoxicated driving.
Last eve on the outskirts of Tipperary Town, Tipp RPU intercepted a motorist driving while disqualified, the motorist failed a roadside breath test for alcohol, was arrested and their car seized with court to follow.

More than 2,700 speeding offences have already been detected. Among the most serious incidents was a motorist recorded travelling at 172km/h in a 120km/h zone. Another driver was caught doing 115km/h on a 50km/h road in Clontarf, Dublin, while a vehicle on the R463 at Rosmadda West, Parteen, Co Clare, was detected at 101km/h where the limit was 60km/h.

Garda Superintendent Mr Liam Geraghty said bank holiday periods present particular dangers because of the increased volume of traffic. He confirmed that officers were carrying out an extensive enforcement campaign and urged every road user to take responsibility for safety.

The warning follows two fatal collisions on Sunday. A motorcyclist in his 40s died following a crash at Leighlinbridge in Co Carlow, while a man in his 20s lost his life in a separate collision at Pettigo in Co Donegal. Their deaths brought the number of people killed on Irish roads so far this year to 110.

In addition to the drink, drug and speeding detections, approximately 310 motorists were found either holding a mobile phone while driving or travelling without a seatbelt.

The scale of the wider problem is reflected in figures for the first six months of the year. More than 119,000 fixed-charge notices were issued for speeding, over 14,500 for mobile-phone use and more than 3,000 for seatbelt offences. Gardaí also seized upwards of 18,000 vehicles in cases involving no insurance, licence or valid NCT/CVRT, as well as unaccompanied learner drivers.

Motorists travelling through Tipperary are being reminded to exercise particular care on heavily used routes such as the M8, N24, N52 and the county’s extensive regional-road network. Drivers should reduce speed, allow extra time, avoid distractions and never drive after consuming alcohol or drugs.

Gardaí say these basic precautions could prevent another family from receiving devastating news. The message for the remainder of the holiday operation is simple: slow down, buckle up and give the road your full attention.

Thurles, Co. Tipp: Where Road Signs Take The Hits And Relief Roads Take Forever.

Thurles, Co. Tipperary has apparently developed an innovative transport policy; to force enormous juggernauts through streets designed when the principal form of heavy traffic had four legs and ate hay.

**Available to view on Mill Road, Thurles, one of two signs within metres of each other, **originally** warning of a dangerous junction and dangerous bends.**
*Pic: G. Willoughby*.

The predictable result can be seen in the accompanying, undeniable video shown hereunder; for months damaged signs, battered street furniture, demolished walls, uprooted and dinged bollards and not surprisingly yet another enormous bill waiting for the over-stretched ratepayer.

If the claim that 90% of signs are seriously damaged is to be stated as fact, Tipperary County Council should immediately conduct and publish a proper survey.
What is already beyond dispute is that the council; not passing motorists or magical road-sign fairies, is totally responsible for maintaining signs on local and regional roads.

Video courtesy of G. Willoughby. (Feel free to copy/share).

Local residents may know every turn in Thurles by instinct, by memory and generations of experience, but tourists, delivery drivers and other non locals do not.
They depend on clear, visible signs to identify directions, restrictions and hazards.

Damaged or unreadable signage is therefore more than an embarrassment; it creates a genuine road-safety concern, particularly where unfamiliar drivers must make sudden decisions while navigating narrow, heavily trafficked streets. The Road Safety Authority expressly identifies regulatory, warning and information signs as essential guidance for tourists using Irish roads.
Visitors should receive directions, not an unscheduled navigation exam, with a juggernaut approaching from the opposite direction.

For years, Thurles residents have heard about an Inner Relief Road and an Outer Bypass.
The council’s 2024 – 2030 Local Area Plan still describes both as projects for which funding must be secured. The Inner Relief Road alone is intended to provide a 1.1-kilometre connection between the N62 and Mill Road, while the proposed bypass would link the N62, N75 and R498.

In 2025, only €100,000 was allocated to progress the Inner Relief Road’s detailed design. That is progress in the same sense that buying a doormat means your house is nearly built.

Mr Michael Lowry TD, Mr Alan Kelly TD and Mr Ryan O’Meara TD must now provide the public with something more useful than announcements, photographs and recycled assurances.

The evidence for action is already visible on the road. Official data published for the N62 at Turtulla records an average of 9,539 vehicle movements every day.
More importantly, Tipperary County Council’s own Thurles Local Transport Plan concludes that the proposed road schemes would reduce total traffic in the town-centre core by approximately 20%, cut traffic crossing the River Suir bridge by more than 50%, and reduce town-centre heavy-goods traffic by approximately 50%.

The same plan states that roughly three-quarters of the predicted reduction would involve strategic traffic that neither begins nor ends its journey in Thurles. Vehicles presently passing through the town would use a suitable alternative route which presently does not exist. These are not speculative complaints, they are the council’s own measurements and modelling, providing compelling evidence that the relief road and bypass are necessary for safer streets, more reliable commercial access and a town centre that can perhaps function more effectively.

Thurles Needs Immediately:-

► A confirmed and fully funded delivery programme for the Inner Relief Road.
► A published timetable for the bypass.
► A professional audit of damaged signs and street furniture.
► A costed plan to prevent heavy vehicles repeatedly causing further damage.
► Clear public reporting of who sought funding, when it was sought and what response was received.

Thurles residents have waited long enough. They deserve proper engineering, funding and dates, not another series of ceremonial announcement that the announcement of a future announcement is progressing according to plan.

Fire Reignites On Slievenamon In Co. Tipperary.

As of approximately 1:40pm, today, Sunday, August 2nd 2026, it has been confirmed that a fire has again reignited on the southern slopes of Slievenamon, outside Clonmel in County Tipperary.

Tipperary County Council reported that crews from Clonmel and Carrick-on-Suir fire stations were responding to the incident and working to contain the affected area. Aerial firefighting support was also requested to assist operations.

Importantly, officials said that, at the time of the update, there was no threat to life or property. The situation was being closely monitored, with emergency resources remaining in place as required.

This appears to be a renewed flare-up connected to the major wildfire that has affected Slievenamon since July 20th and not a confirmed new fire beginning. Authorities had previously warned that hotspots could remain beneath the surface for a prolonged period and reignite during warm, dry or otherwise favourable conditions.
Substantial, sustained rainfall may be needed to dampen the affected ground and vegetation fully.

People should avoid the affected area, allow emergency crews unrestricted access and report visible fire or immediate danger through 999 or 112.

Further verified updates will be published as they become available.

Death Of Michael Ryan, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

It was with a great sadness that we learned of the death, yesterday Saturday 1st August 2026, of Mr Michael Ryan [Darby], (President of Seán Treacy’s GAA Club), Loughisle, Kilcommon, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

Pre-deceased by his beloved wife Josephine, daughter Mary, and sisters Kitty and Bridget; Mr Ryan passed away peacefully, surrounded by family members, while in the care of staff at Lexington House, Clondalkin, Dublin

His passing is most deeply regretted, sadly missed and lovingly remembered by his sorrowing family; loving grandchildren Judy, Kara and Fionn, sister Mary, nephews, nieces, grandnephews, grandnieces, cousins, extended relatives, great neighbours, colleagues in Seán Treacy’s GAA Club and a wide circle of friends.

Requiescat in Pace.

Funeral Arrangements.

The earthly remains of Mr Ryan will repose on Monday afternoon, August 3rd at J & S McCormack’s Funeral Home, Kilcommon, Thurles, from 5:30pm until 8:00pm same evening.
His remains will be received into the Church of St Patrick, Kilcommon, Thurles, on Tuesday morning, August 4th, to further repose for Requiem Mass at 11:30am, followed by interment, immediately afterwards, in the New Cemetery, Kilcommon, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

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

The extended Ryan 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 Milford Care Centre, in memory of Josephine and Mary (Wife and Daughter).

In ár gcroíthe go deo.

Alcohol Containers Fast Becoming New Litter Menace In Thurles & Tipperary.

The photograph hereunder accompanying this post shows several small ready-to-drink alcohol and cocktail containers of a kind increasingly found discarded on streets, roadsides and public spaces around Thurles and other Irish towns. They include round aluminium BuzzBallz cocktail cans and plastic miniature bottles used for spirits or cocktail mixes.

BuzzBallz containers sold hereunder in Ireland are imported American products, rather than drinks manufactured in Ireland.

**Ireland’s new litter menace – same rejected by** **Reverse Vending Machines, since no Re-turn logo.**

Ireland’s Deposit Return Scheme accepts aluminium and steel drinks cans, and PET plastic drinks bottles, holding between 150ml and three litres. However, a container must be registered in the Irish scheme and normally carry the Re-turn logo and an appropriate barcode. It must also be empty, undamaged and retain its original shape. Therefore, although a BuzzBallz container may be made from aluminium and fall within the correct volume range, an imported or unregistered version without the required Irish markings will be rejected by a Reverse Vending Machine. Miniature glass bottles and bottles made from plastics other than PET are also outside the scheme.

This creates an obvious weakness. Consumers have become accustomed to receiving a deposit refund for cans and bottles. When an unusually shaped container or miniature bottle is rejected, some people may simply abandon it beside the machine or throw it on the street. That behaviour is completely unacceptable, but manufacturers, importers, retailers and the operators of the recycling system must also recognise the emerging problem.

Retailers selling these products should provide clearly marked recycling bins and explain how each container should be disposed of. Producers and importers should also be required, wherever technically possible, to register eligible aluminium containers with Re-turn. Attractive, brightly coloured, single-serving packaging should not become tomorrow’s litter merely because it falls through a gap in the system.

There is also a public-health issue. The BuzzBallz Strawberry ’Rita, shown, is a small 200ml drink, but it contains 13.5% alcohol by volume. Despite its compact, colourful appearance, that represents approximately two Irish standard drinks in one container. The manufacturer lists more than 230 calories and almost 20 grams of carbohydrate in a single Strawberry ’Rita.

These products can taste sweet and fruity, potentially disguising their alcoholic strength. Drinking several in a short period could cause rapid intoxication, impaired judgement, accidents, blackouts or alcohol poisoning. The HSE advises adults not to consume more than six standard drinks on any one occasion. Its weekly low-risk guidance is no more than 11 standard drinks for women or 17 for men, spread across the week, with at least two or three alcohol-free days. These are low-risk limits, not completely safe limits.

It should also be made clear that alcohol may only be sold to people aged 18 or over in Ireland – not 16. Alcohol is a carcinogen, and the HSE states that it increases the risk of at least seven cancers, including cancers of the breast, bowel, liver, mouth and throat. The less alcohol consumed, the lower the risk.

Towns across Ireland should not have to choose between cleaner streets and convenient novelty drinks. Every container placed on the market should have a practical, clearly explained route back into recycling and every consumer must take responsibility for using it.