Thurles Information

Former Ursuline Convent Thurles, Tipperary Pupil Wins Best Actress Award.

Former Ursuline Convent Thurles pupil, Ms Jessie Buckley, wins Best Actress at 2026 Critics Choice Awards.

The Ursuline Convent Thurles community has welcomed news that past pupil Ms Jessie Buckley has been named ‘Best Actress’ at the 2026 Critics Choice Awards, for her performance in ‘Hamnet’, as the ceremony offers an early marker for the months ahead, in the international awards season.

Ms Buckley’s win came at the Critics Choice Awards, hosted by Chelsea Handler, which recognise the year’s best in film, television and streaming, as voted on by critics and journalists.

On the television side, acclaimed British drama Adolescence led the limited series categories, securing four awards. Owen Cooper, aged 16, won Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series, while co-stars Stephen Graham and Erin Doherty received Best Actor in a Limited Series and Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series, respectively.

Ms Jessie Buckley attended Ursuline Secondary School/Boarding School here in Thurles, where she took part in school productions, and the school and wider Thurles community have previously celebrated her achievements on stage and screen.

Death Of Tom Hayden, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

It was with great sadness that we learned of the death, yesterday Sunday 4th January 2026, of Mr Tom Hayden, Longfordpass, Gortnahoe, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

In his 90th year and pre-deceased by his beloved wife Anna, parents Ned and Johanna, brother Séan, sisters Mary, Nellie and Hannie; Mr Hayden passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family, while in the care of staff at the Community Hospital of the Assumption, Thurles, Co.Tipperary.

His passing is most deeply regretted, sadly missed and lovingly remembered by his sorrowing family; sons Ned and Séan, daughters Joan-Marie and Brigitte, daughters-in-law Pauline and Elizabeth, son-in-law Denis and Brigitte’s partner Gerry, grandchildren Thomas, Anita, Martin, Aoife, Lillian, Edwina, John and Eamon, great grandchildren, brother-in-law Danny (Carroll), nieces, nephews, extended relatives, neighbours and a wide circle of friends.

Requiescat in Pace.

Funeral Arrangements.

The earthly remains of Mr Hayden will repose at Doyle’s Funeral Home, Urlingford, Co. Kilkenny, (Eircode E41 XO38) on Tuesday afternoon, January 6th, from 5:00pm until 7:00pm, before being received into the Church of the Sacred Heart, Gortnahoe, Thurles, at 7:45pm same evening.
Requiem Mass for Mr Hayden, will be offered on Wednesday morning, January 7th at 11:30am, followed by interment, immediately afterwards in the Good Shepherd Cemetery, Gortnahoe, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

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

The extended Hayden 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.

The Hayden family would like to take this opportunity to thank, most sincerely, the nurses, management and staff at the Community Hospital of the Assumption, Thurles for the exceptional care and attention shown to Mr Hayden during the time he resided there. They will be forever grateful.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

Sporting World Salutes Josef (Joe) Veselsky.

Sporting world salutes Josef (Joe) Veselsky – Holocaust survivor, pioneer of Irish table tennis and lifelong learner – following His death, aged 107.

European Table Tennis Union and Table Tennis Ireland pay tribute to a man whose courage, community spirit and love of the game inspired generations.

**Josef *(Joe)* Veselsky** and **poster**
*‘For Democracy – For Czechoslovakia’*

Tributes are being paid across Ireland and the international sporting community following the death of Josef (Joe) Veselsky, Holocaust survivor, former International Table Tennis Captain and a towering figure in Irish Table Tennis, who died on January 3rd, aged 107.

In a statement, the European Table Tennis Union (ETTU) said the European and International table tennis community is mourning Mr Veselsky’s passing, describing a life that reflected the “unifying power of sport” and the endurance of the human spirit.
Born in Trnava in 1918 in what was then Czechoslovakia, Mr Veselsky joined the Resistance as a young man after Nazi forces invaded. He survived the war in the Carpathian Mountains, while his parents and older brother were murdered in Auschwitz Concentration Camp, a loss that remained with him throughout his life. He was later decorated with the Order of the Slovak National Uprising for bravery.

After the Second World War, Mr Veselsky rose to the highest levels of his sport, captaining the Czechoslovak national table tennis team. In 1949, he and his wife Katarina (Kathy) fled the post-war political regime, emigrating to Ireland, where he built a successful jewellery business, despite arriving with limited English and no formal business background.

In Ireland, his impact went far beyond the table. Mr Veselsky became a key driving force in the development of the sport here, and later served as Life President of the Irish Table Tennis Association (now Table Tennis Ireland). Table Tennis Ireland said his contribution was recognised with multiple honours, including an ETTU Badge of Honour, and noted he was officially recognised last year as Ireland’s oldest man.

To mark his lasting legacy, the Joe Veselsky Award, introduced by the Association in 1986, continues to honour outstanding achievement in table tennis administration in Ireland.

Away from sport, Mr Veselsky also became celebrated as Trinity College Dublin’s oldest student, attending extra-mural courses for years and receiving an honorary Master of Arts in 2016, an acknowledgement of his remarkable commitment to lifelong learning.

Mr Veselsky is survived by his children Peter and Kate, and by a legacy that continues to inspire players, volunteers and supporters across Europe and beyond.

Funeral arrangements
A funeral service will take place at 10:00am on Wednesday, January 7th next, in the Victorian Chapel at Mount Jerome Crematorium, Harold’s Cross, Dublin.

In ár gcroíthe go deo.

Death Of Patrick Stokes, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

It was with great sadness that we learned of the death, yesterday Sunday 4th January 2026, of Mr Patrick Stokes, Galbertstown, Holycross, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

In his 95th year and pre-deceased by his sister Renee (Fitzpatrick) and brother Nicholas; Mr Stokes passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family, following a short illness, while in the care of staff at Acorn Lodge Nursing Home, Cashel, Co. Tipperary.

His passing is most deeply regretted, sadly missed and lovingly remembered by his sorrowing family; loving wife Moira, daughters Alma, Roma and Valerie, son Frank, adored grandchildren Ciara, Rory, Alex, Isabel, Laura, Ben, Melissa and Naomi, sons-in-law Thierry (Sueur) and Fergal (O’Mongain), daughter-in-law Elaine (née Crowley), nephews, nieces, brother-in-law Alfred (Butler), sisters-in-law Kay and Pauline (Butler), cousins, extended relatives, great neighbours and a wide circle of friends.

Requiescat in Pace.

Funeral Arrangements.

The earthly remains of Mr Stokes, will repose at Hugh Ryan’s Funeral Home, Slievenamon Road, Thurles, (Eircode E41 CP58), on Wednesday afternoon, January 7th, from 5:00pm until 7:00pm same evening.

His remains will be received into the former Cistercian Monastery Abbey Church, Holycross, Thurles, Co. Tipperary, (Eircode E41 PH01) on Thursday morning January 8th at 11:00am to further repose for Requiem Mass at 11:30am, followed by interment, immediately afterwards, in the adjoining graveyard.

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

The extended Stokes 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 anam dílis.

Thank God For The Radio.

Lyrics: American country singer and songwriter, the late Max D. Barnes (1935-2004) and American songwriter and former employee of the record label Ovation Records, Robert John Jones.
Vocals: American neotraditional country singer/songwriter Alan Eugene Jackson.

Thank God For The Radio.

Thank God For The Radio.

On the wrong end of the highway,
When a long night has no end,
When there’s no one there beside me,
Till I hold you once again.
Thank God for the radio,
When I’m on the road,
When I’m far from home,
An’ feelin’ blue.
Thank God for the radio,
Playin’ all night long,
Playin’ all the songs that mean so much,
To me and you.
There’s a song, that we first danced to,
And there’s a song, they played the night we met,
And there’s a song, we first made love to,
That’s a song, I’ll never forget.
So, thank God for the radio,
When I’m on the road,
When I’m far from home,
And feelin’ blue.
Thank God for the radio,
Playin’ all night long,
Playin’ all the songs that mean so much,
To me and you.
Thank God for the radio,
When I’m on the road,
When I’m far from home,
And feelin’ blue.
Thank God for the radio,
Playin’ all night long,
Playin’ all the songs that mean so much,
To me and you.
Playin’ all the songs that mean so much,
To me and you.
Thank God for the radio.