With huge “Thank You” to Catherine Fogarty, Rona Sorrell, Una and David Crowley, Mary Joe Fanning, Eamonn Medley and Eamonn Mason and indeed all who have contributed their voluntary service to this area of Thurles.
Speaking to Thurles.Info last evening, keen environmentalist, Ms Catherine Fogarty, has complimented the many volunteers, chief among them Una Griffin-Crowley, for their initiative in respect of the River Walk Amenity in Thurles. Ms Fogarty stated that “their actions are real rather than mere talk”.
Ms Fogarty correctly stated, “It is a sad fact that Thurles has severely neglected and abused the River Suir. The new addition of 12 Bird Boxes between Clongour and Thurles Town Park is indeed admirable and a welcomed sight”.
Ms Fogarty continued, “In my time with ‘Refresh Thurles‘, we developed the ‘SuirFest‘ event in 2019 and hoped it would grow into an annual Thurles event, celebrating that body of water, the River Suir. Despite current Covid -19 restrictions, this of course can still happen into the future.
As regards the River Walk, it means different things to different people – some want an exercise option, in a relaxing outdoor environment – the presence of trees and wildlife enhances that experience”.
The absence of litter and anti social behaviour is essential to a positive experience.
Ms Fogarty continued, “The redevelopments at the former Erin foods site will bring some change as would future plans to construct a vehicular bridge at the Erin Foods site to cross the River and the construction of a road to link with the Mill Road. This is some years away, but would change the environment considerably. I would hope that our planning authorities would see the value in balancing the developer’s needs at the former Erin Foods site with the needs of the wider community. The removal of the entire hedgerow at the river bank will mean a loss of biodiversity – we would lose a lot of bird habitats if this goes ahead.
Another current planning application seeks access to the lands to the south of the former Erin Foods site – this if allowed, it would see trees removed and the entire ambience of the space destroyed. I am referring to the pathway linking Clongour to the river. It is good to know that the Council consider this as a critical artery route connecting to the River Path – protecting the existing tree canopy provided by this linear woodland is therefore essential.
I have proposed to the Council that the sliver of land on the Erin Foods Site south of the Roadway into the former Erin Foods site be planted with trees to effectively create a mini urban forest to supplement the value of the linear woodland. Thurles could lead the way in adding trees and habitats.
The installation of discharge points into the river in years gone by has left a legacy of damage, however the recent work in respect of 3 new discharge points seems to expose a most abusive mindset and demonstrates a minimal value placed on the riverbank as an amenity and a habitat.
There has been recent news of €120,000 funding for the River walk to be upgraded from “The Willows” to “Emmet Street“. This is welcome news but it is also puzzling as the funding was not listed on the breakdown of financing provided by the Council that detailed the €4.3 million in‘Active Travel Funds’, allocated to County Tipperary, under the scheme for 2021.
The council confirms that the primary function of this section of walk/cycleway, from the Willows to Emmet Street, incorporating the pathway from Clongour to the river, is the provision of a safe walkway and cycling route for school children in the western side of the town. Much hope had been pinned on an application to the Outdoor Rural Infrastructure Scheme, to bring the proposed Thurles River Loop walks, to a design stage; regrettably this was unsuccessful.
I now expect that the council will make another future application in respect of concluding a revamp of the route from “The Willows” to “Turtulla” extending across “Ladies Well”to the“Mill Road”. This area has so much potential with the provision of seating, interpretative signage, repairs to the river bank for safety reasons etc. A previous report produced in circa 2000 by Anne O’Leary & Associates, had included a suggestion from Inland Fisheries, for the addition of sand on the bank of River Drish, to support Kingfisher nesting. Alas, this delightful idea was not implemented and instead we have seen shocking levels of foliage/trees and hedgerow removed in the area between the River Drish and the Mill Road.
If we are to achieve the important goals of World Earth Day, we need to realise that we must do better here in Thurles”, concluded Ms Fogarty.
The year was 1878; the month was October, when a headline in “The Western Daily Press” newspaper (published in Bristol, England), stated, quote; “A Committee Should Consist of Three People, One of Whom Is Always Sick and the Other of Whom is Always Absent”.
The year was 2013, the month was November; when we at Thurles.Info first highlighted the state of the River Suir, particularly within the centre of Thurles. [VIEW HERE]. North Tipperary Co. Council officials, same recently retired, denied any such issue with the river, despite the photographic evidence provided. Over the last, almost 11 years, all efforts put in place to correct these issues of decline within this area, were slowly dismantled by council officials. Where is the fountain, Councillors and their red faced officials refuse to answer?
Again, over the same almost 11 years, local press and local radio namely “The Tipperary Star”, and “Tipp Fm” radio refused to publish or to highlight issues regarding the River Suir. Both same media outlets choosing instead to publish other dubious and suspect press releases, same prepared by power seeking local councillors, their officials and our two local residing goverment politicians, intent on personal vote catching exercises and self glorification.
At least 4 times every year, over the past 11 years, Thurles.Info has written about the declining state of the River Suir, often forwarding same to highly paid officials in Tipperary Co. Council; e.g. Mr Joe Macgrath(Chief Executive) and Ms Sharon Scully(Thurles Administrator), but to no avail. Also almost every month we have published press releases from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), warning on the decline in our rivers and streams.
The current town administrator, Ms Sharon Scully, in an email dated January 18th 2022 stated, quote, (In relation to road signs facing in the wrong direction)“Resources can only be dedicated to this task when more urgent works such as housing repairs, burials, and roadworks allow”. In the same email, Miss Scully also stated, quote, “I would like to see Thurles town promoted in a positive light – the good work that has been carried out, such as works on Liberty Square* and the River Suir Walkway, as well as funding that has been secured to redevelopment Thurles Market Quarter, and also deserve mention. When we highlight only the negatives, in a public forum, it misleads people as to all the town has to offer and paints the town of Thurles in a light that I’m sure neither you nor me want”.
*Liberty Square— With its double signposting only feet apart; its street lighting that burns night & day; signs pointing in the wrong direction; a confined traffic space that forbids a mother to open a car door to place a child into a rear car seat, and the aroma of raw sewage emerging every time temperatures reach 18° Celsius.
Double Sign Posting just feet apart, Liberty Square Thurles. Pic: G. Willoughby.
*River SuirWalkway — Tarmacadamed, destroying existing biodiversity and which has already started to ravel. *Thurles Market Quarter, — 3.4 million being to spent to build a second restaurant and a market quarter, both of which the public never asked for and which reduces car park spaces for existing struggling businesses.
On the following day Ms Scully stated also in a further email, quote,“I think it is very important that any town has strong community engagement, where issues that are of importance can be highlighted and discussed. However, when this is done in a public forum it can paint the town in a negative light, particularly when the positives are not also highlighted”.
Ms Scully ‘community engagement‘ in Thurles is only in token, and businesses and residents are not heard, in favour of poor planning and and what appears to be unqualified planning architects. So we should hide our towns deficiencies in the hope that consumers and non existant tourists won’t discuss their inability to find a parking space in a small rural town.
Note the dates November 2013 and January 2022. Now in September 2024, nothing has been done to solve the river Suir issues or the town drainage issues, as Mr Jackie Cahill TD, Mr Michael Lowry TD, Local Councillors and Thurles Municipal District Council officials drive their motor vehicles through a deserted Liberty Square, with windows tightly closed, to avoid the smell of raw sewage.
We are now informed, 11 years later, following a video posted on Thurles.Info, on August 17th last, VIEW HERE, that biologist Mr Fran Igoe, a spokesperson representing the Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO) agrees that what is happening in Thurles and the river Suir is ‘shocking‘. Of course Mr Jackie Cahill TD was quick into the fray, ‘calling for action’, in an effort to protect the farming community, latter partially responsible for its demise.. Mr Igoe (lAWPRO) has stated that test results, now show that while one should expect to find a broad range of aquatic insects and bugs, he could only find two species in our river.
Reed cutting began on the River Suir Thurles, today September 18th.Last time these reeds were cut was in March 2019, prior to the local elections. Pic: G. Willoughby.
Just two days after the Council meeting on Monday last; this morning, Wednesday 18th September, 2024, a group of men are to be found in the river strimming the reeds and removing last winters tree branches, same washed down from upstream. [You would swear RTE were coming to video the area, for Thursday’s “RTE Investigates” programme].
This latter happening came as a massive surprise, since we were informed by one local Councillor, that LAWPRO would be leading the process. They alone would be drawing up a plan of action which would involve input from all the relevant bodies within a 6 month time span to produce an agreed action plan. At that stage they would apply for funding to carry out all recommendations in this future completed report.
Funny thing, two days later, it appears that no consultation was required from the relevant bodies [e.g. Inland Fisheries, Biodiversity Ireland, Refresh Thurles, Birdwatch Ireland, Irish Environmental Network, Fauna & Flora International, National Parks & Wildlife and Uncle Tom Cobley and all.].
Could today’s action see Thurles now end up being prosecuted by some European environmental organisation? After all, in recent years, there has been a growing trend in people and organisations using Europe’s unparalleled system for protecting human rights in helping to tackle environmental problems.
Seriously, it should be noted that LAWPRO was set up in 2016(Eight years ago) as a shared service on behalf of the 31 Local Authorities in Ireland. The Programme operates nationally out of 13 different Local Authority centres. LAWPRO is supposed to be driving public engagement, participation and consultation with communities and stakeholders at local level via its Communities Team; while delivering a programme of catchment assessment in priority areas for action via its Catchment Science Team and coordinating these activities across the relevant public sector via five Regional Operational Committees. With this service set up in 2016, one must ask the question why does the river Suir in Thurles have to wait six months for an action plan, before seeking funding?
Swans remain residents on the river Suir in Thurles. Pic: G. Willoughby
Just to correct our councillor, who claimed that no Swans remain in the river Suir and the ducks have left; this is totally untrue in both counts. The two swans remaining in this, their home territory, have produced Cygnets each year. Once these Cygnets are old enough to look after themselves the parents cut their parental ties and chase them away, sometimes quite aggressively. The Cygnets normally join the first flock of teenage swans they encounter, where they usually hangout until they mature, at around 4 years of age and in turn locate a wife and then nature performs a full circle once again when they find their personal territory and raise a family. In the wild, with all of the hazards they have to live with (vandals, pollution, mink, overhead cables, lead poisoning, fishing-tackle injuries, wind turbine generators etc), the average lifespan of a Swan is 12 years, while in a protected environment they can survive up to 30 years of age.
The waste and neglect at local authority level continues.
We will of course be forwarding an email to Ms Scully again later tonight, seeking further assistance with regards to the next 100 metres of this town’s valued river Suir.
Pic (1) Despite two days with no rain, evidence of ground water continuously flowing from under the Leisure Centre. Note the plastic papers ready to exit, come the next downpour to push open the heavy drain lid. Pic (2, 3, 4) Supermarket Trolley’s which have remained in the River Suir for months.
What we would like is that Ms Scully would contact three of the local Supermarkets, latter backing unto the river Suir, asking that they remove their shopping trolleys from the water.
I know that Ms Scully will be anxious to observe this area herself, (after all seeing is believing), and so there are two other issues she might help us with, which are as follows:-
(1). Take a walk on now retired Mr S. Hanifin’s tarmac path from the ‘Swinging Gates’, on Emmet Street and examine the crater close to the now deceased Chestnut tree stump, same waiting for some pedestrian to fall into. (Yet another day out in Dirty Dublin, emerging for Tipperary Co. Council to visit the High Court, may still await.)
Pic (left) – Giant crater on riverside walk near Emmet Street ‘Swinging Gates’. Pic (right) – Some unknown liquid flowing into the river Suir from behind the future useless and yet unfunded ‘Thurles Inner Relief Road’.
(2). What is flowing into the river Suir from a drain at the area where the inner relief road will be built. (Look, it’s possible that it was someone just brushing their teeth). Sure you know the area that I am talking about, didn’t TD Mr Jackie Cahill get the money from government to buy and update this area way back in 2021, or was he joking. [See video HERE quickly, before someone teaches him how to remove it.]
As I went out walking, on a fine summer day, Through hills and the valleys, I soon lost my way, ‘Til I came to an old man, kneeling down by a stream. Gazing into the water, like he was lost in a dream In his hand was a painting he clung to for life, His eyes filled with tears as he tried not to cry. Then he looked to the heavens and started to pray, In the quiet country silence, I could hear the man say. Life is a river, I’ll go with the flow, And where it will take me, the Lord only knows. I’ll miss you sweetheart, your kindness and love, But I know one day, we’ll sail away on God’s ocean above. He said, “Now young man, you’re a stranger to me. Could I bother you kindly, for your company? Today I am thinking of a time long ago, And I need to tell someone of a girl I loved so. It’s 42 years today, since Rose took my hand, And proudly I lived life, her husband, her man. ‘Til only last week son, God took her away, As I kissed her softly, these words she did say. “Life is a river, I’ll go with the flow, And where it will take me, the Lord only knows. I’ll miss you sweetheart, your kindness and love, But I know one day, we’ll sail away on God’s ocean above”. And with that, the old man sent me on my way, And sat by the water, I’ll kneel for the day. I look at the river, starting out on its life, It’s where I feel close to my beautiful wife.
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