Archives

Death Of Irish Jockey Michael O’Sullivan Following Thurles Tragic Fall.

Sadly, we report that Mallow, Co Cork UCD student Mr Michael O’Sullivan, a 24 year old jockey, who was involved in a pile-up at Thurles Racecourse on February 6th last, has succumbed to his injuries.

This unwelcome news has been confirmed by the International Horse Racing Board (IHRB) early this morning.

A two-time winner at the 2023 Cheltenham Festival; Mr O’Sullivan was one of several jockeys who fell at the final hurdle on the Thurles course; mounted aboard ‘Wee Charlie’, for horse trainer Mr Gerard O’Leary.

He received immediate medical attention at the racetrack before being airlifted to Cork University Hospital, where he was taken into an intensive care unit and placed in a induced coma.

Just shortly before his 25th birthday and surrounded by his family; Mr O’Sullivan passed away just 9 days later.

O’Sullivan shot to prominence in 2023 when winning the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham, seated aboard ‘Marine Nationale’, before then going on to win the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle, same day with ‘Jazzy Matty’.

In ár gcroíthe go deo.

Death Of John McCormack, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

It was with a great personal sadness that I learned of the death, yesterday Friday 14th February 2025, of Mr John McCormack, No.10 Kyle Terrace, Kickham Street, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

Pre-deceased by his parents Mary and James, sisters Kathleen (aged 14) and Nora, and baby brother Philip; Mr McCormack passed away peacefully while in the care of staff at St Theresa’s Nursing Home, Dublin Road, Thurles.

His passing is most deeply regretted, sadly missed and lovingly remembered by his sorrowing family; loving sisters Marie Carroll (Rossmore) and Margaret Roche (Clonmel), brothers-in-law Michael and Ger, nephews, nieces, cousins, extended relatives, members of Thurles Camera Club, neighbours and friends.

Requiescat in Pace.

Funeral Arrangements.

The earthly remains of Mr McCormack will repose at Hugh Ryan’s Funeral Home, Slievenamon Road, Thurles on Tuesday afternoon, February 18th, from 5:00pm untill 7:00pm same evening.
His remains will be received into the Cathedral of the Assumption, Cathedral Street, Thurles, on Wednesday morning, February 19th at 10:30am, to further repose for Requiem Mass at 11:00am, followed by interment, immediately afterwards in St Patrick’s Cemetery, Moyne Road, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

For those persons who are unable to attend the funeral service for Mr McCormack, same can be viewed streamed live online, HERE.

The extended McCormack, Roche and Carroll families 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.

Death Of Tom Gleeson, Formerly Of Templemore, Co. Tipperary.

It was with great sadness that we learned of the death, on Sunday 9th February 2025, of Mr Tom Gleeson, Keswick, Cumbria, Northwest England’s Lake District, UK and formerly of Templemore, Co. Tipperary.

The passing of Mr Gleeson is most deeply regretted, sadly missed and lovingly remembered by his sorrowing family; brothers Murt and Paddy, sister Peggy and brothers Charlie and Joe, nieces Amanda, Tara and Denise, nephews David, Kevin and Cathal, grandnieces Erin and Lily, sisters-in-law Bridie and Geraldine, friend Kirsten (Fred), extended relatives neighbours and many friends.

Requiescat in Pace.

Funeral Arrangements.

The earthly remains of Mr Gleeson will be received into the Church of Our Lady of the Lakes and St Charles, High Hill, Keswick, Cumbria to repose for Requiem Mass on Friday 28th February at 11:00am, followed by cremation at Eden Valley Crematorium Temple Sowerby, Penrith, United Kingdom, (CA10 2AN), at 12:30pm.

Note Please: A memorial Mass for Mr Gleeson will be held in Templemore Co. Tipperary, at a later date.
Donations, if desired, to the British Heart Foundation or Irish Heart Foundation.

The extended Gleeson 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.

Tipperary Family Settle High Court Action against HSE.

A Tipperary family has now settled their High Court action, taken against the HSE seeking €600,000, following the death of a 51-year-old father of five, just days after a road traffic accident.

The High Court heard that a significant small bowel injury was overlooked completely by staff at Cork University Hospital.

Then patient, Mr Patrick Connolly slowly deteriorated before dying of a heart attack, while in the care of staff at Cork University Hospital, five days after the tragic road accident outside Tipperary town on December 28th, 2021.

The court were informed that no particular attention was paid to a bowel injury in the hospital and Mr Connolly’s health gradually deteriorated. Mr Connolly was in a lot of pain, was vomiting and had two heart attacks. He died after his second heart attack on January 2nd, 2022. The HSE admitted that Mr Connolly had a small bowel perforation that was not diagnosed in a timely manner.

The health service also admitted that if a laparoscopic assessment had been carried out at any time from Mr Connolly’s admission to hospital, until the time of his first heart attack, there would have been a high likelihood of him surviving the accident.

The collision had occurred when a car driven by Ms Mary Lowry, latter a central witness in the Mr Moonlight murder trial, had collided with a motorcycle ridden by Mr Patrick Connolly; with his son as a pillion passenger.

Last year Ms Lowry, aged 57 years, was given a suspended one-year jail sentence and a one-year driving ban, after she admitted a charge of careless driving in relation to the accident.

Mr Connolly’s widow, Mrs Geraldine Connolly, had sued the HSE on behalf of her family over the death of her husband.

Thurles Residents Strongly Object To Killough Solar Farm.

Just last month, Marmoris Limited, trading as Killough Solar, lodged a planning application with Tipperary Co. Council following the purchase of Killough Castle, Killough, Thurles, Co. Tipperary and its accompanying 527 acres of land of by Mr John Magnier’s Coolmore Stud Farm, last year.

Marmoris in their planning application, are seeking a ten-year planning permission for 745,168 square metres of solar panels in the town lands of Killough, Clohoge and Graigue in Co. Tipperary.

Some 30 submissions have since been lodged with the council, condemning the planning application on the grounds of:-

  • Scale of the development would result in a major visual intrusion.
  • Present road infrastructure totally unsuitable.
  • Loss of value to existing homes.
  • Proposed development could potentially prevent others from getting planning permission for future domestic dwellings.
  • Golden Vale area traditionally used for food output and brownfield sites with good roads and waste infrastructures should be considered as an alternative.

The planning consultants for the scheme, Fehily Timoney, confirm that the project is led by Coolmore Stud and is designed to complement Coolmore’s environmental and sustainability initiatives, while benefiting the local community and contributing to Ireland’s renewable energy targets.

Locals are asking questions as to why was this recently purchased Killough Castle farm selected over and above the other almost 11,000 acres of land in the ownership of Coolmore Stud?

The Killough solar farm set 6.5km south of Thurles would according to the planning application, create 80 to 100 jobs, during its anticipated 18-month construction period.

A decision is expected on this planning application by the end of this month.

Meanwhile, as we reported on January 30th, 2025, Major opposition, grave concerns and extreme anger has irrupted, due to a planning application for a wind-farm & battery farm on the northern outskirts of Thurles town, in the townlands of Brittas, Rossestown, Ballygammane and Clobanna.
The planning application seeks permission for 10 to 12 X 185m (1542ft) high turbines, together with an accompanying battery farm, latter to store generated electricity, same to be occasioned by this proposed project. View Here.