A reminder to all Tipperary residents regarding recycling of old electrical appliances!
WEEE Ireland(Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) will be collecting, free of charge, old and broken electrical appliances, county-wide over the next 4 week period.
Remember WEEE material is anything with a plug normally attached and WEEE Ireland will be making their next collection on Saturday May 2nd 2015 between the hours 10.00am and 4.00pm. Central collection areas chosen on the above date for North Tipperary are: – Thurles – from the Mid-Tipperary Mart Yard, Stradavoher, Thurles, and Templemore– from Templemore Town Car Park, Main Square, Templemore.
In South Tipperary the next collection will be Saturday April 23rd 2015, again between the hours 10.00am and 4.00pm. Central collection area for South Tipperary on the above latter date will be in Tipperary town at Dan Breen House, Tipperary.
Remember: TVs and their Aerials, Radios, Microwaves, IT Equipment, Dishwashers, Cookers, Fridges, Freezers, Power Tools, Vacuum Cleaners, Battery Operated Toys, Electric Toothbrushes, Kettles, Toasters, Batteries and all other associated items are totally acceptable.
So here is the perfect opportunity to bring along your old electrical appliances, currently left clogging up your shed /garage and have same recycled. Remember this is a completely FREE service, which eliminates that temptation to dump illegally in our most beautiful of Irish counties, Co. Tipperary.
Borrisoleigh Historical Society: Delia Ryan reports.
Local man, John Connors of Rathmoy will be the guest speaker at the next series of history lectures presented by the Borrisoleigh Historical Society on Tuesday, December 2nd 2014, beginning at 8.00 pm in the Community Centre, Borrisoleigh, Co Tipperary.
John has researched extensively on the life of Tipperary man, Sean Hogan, (13 May 1901 – 24 December 1968) who was rescued on May 12th 1919 from a train at Knocklong, by his more famous IRA comrades, Sean Treacy, Séamus Robinson, Séan Lynch, Dan Breen and four other men from the IRA East Limerick Brigade.
Some of these rescuers later relocated to Dublin and undertook a range of missions under the direction of the Dublin leadership. Some of these missions were in association with a unit known as ‘The Squad,’ originally nicknamed the “Twelve Apostles,” founded by Michael Collins to counter the British intelligence efforts during the Irish War of Independence, mainly by means of assassination.
Although not yet fully eighteen years of age, Sean Hogan was one of the most wanted men in the British Empire, following the Soloheadbeg attack on January 21st 1919, in which two RIC men were killed.
This daring and deadly rescue (two RIC escorts were shot dead there also) had its origins adjacent to Borrisoleigh parish, as Hogan had been captured at Meagher’s of Annfield, by RIC Sergeant Peter Wallace from Roskeen, in an early Monday morning raid.
While many may be aware of this famous and significant event, few will know about the life of the young man who entered the history books from the Soloheadbeg and Knocklong episodes. As well as bringing us a reprise of these more famous events, John Connors will fill the gap about the further periods of Hogan’s early life and his active IRA service in both Dublin and Tipperary, as well as what became of him after the troubled times, with his well-illustrated lecture.
The lecture will be introduced by Puckane historian Sean Hogan, latter author of the much acclaimed “The Black and Tans in North Tipperary – Policing, Revolution and War – 1913 -1922”.
Teachers, All Students, History Societies Take Note
To coincide with the University of Limerick’s launch of “The Armstrong Papers” in the East Room of Plassey House on Monday next October 21st, St Mary’s Famine Museum will feature, for one week only, (October 16th to October 23rd inc) the rare and exciting exhibition entitled; “Downton Abbey, A Tipperary Perspective.”
Larger than the exhibition shown just last year, this historic exposition also happily coincides with the popular Downton Abbey, Series 4, currently showing each Wednesday night on TV3 at 9:00pm.
The TV series Downton Abbey is set on the fictional estate of Downton Abbey in the North Riding of Yorkshire, England, home to the Earl and Countess of Grantham and which follows the lives of the aristocratic Crawley family and their servants during the reign of King George V.
The Thurles exhibition on the other hand, while showing major similarities in life at the big house, takes a look at and follows the family of the Armstrong Family of Moyaliffe, Co Tipperary, during this very same period in Irish history, which also covers the First World War and the later period referred to as the ‘Roaring Twenties,’ and later.
Some of the items on show in this exhibition can be seen in the video shown above.
The ‘Roaring Twenties,‘ is of course a term often used to refer to the 1920’s, characterizing the decade’s distinctive cultural edge. Normality had returned to politics in the wake of hyper-emotional patriotism during World War I, jazz music blossomed, the ‘flapper,’ redefined modern womanhood, and Art Deco peaked. (Flappers were the “new breed” of young Western women in the 1920s who wore skirts short, bobbed their hair, listened to jazz, and flaunted their disdain for what was then considered acceptable behavior.)
Included in the exhibition this year are Dan Breen’s revolver, William Trant’s (Dovea) revolver together with original photographs by Heinrich Hoffmann (1885 – 1957) latter AdolfHitler’s official photographer together with Military costumes, some dating back before 1900 from the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, in Surrey, with rare memorabilia from the Gallipoli Campaign including original cigarettes purchased in Port Said (1915 -1916).
Total cost of admission to this unique Tipperary exhibition is a mere €2 per person, which also incorporates a chance to examine the Famine Museum, latter which boasts the largest amount of original memorabilia, pertaining to the Great Famine (1845 – 1849). Tours will be also accommodated at night to facilitate visiting historical societies.
Note: All Schools & Historical Societies are requested to book their tour, some hours in advance by phoning 0504-21133, thus ensuring the presence of a lecture tour guide.
The Armstrong Papers
The Armstrong Papers, soon to be launched in Limerick, contain some 50,000 items including over 13,000 photographs. These documents encompass some 350 years of family history and were donated to the University of Limerick by Mrs Susan and Mr Graham Armstrong, formally of Moyaliffe, but who presently reside in Natal, South Africa.
Thurles Town and St Mary’s Famine Museum are also grateful to Mrs Susan and Mr Graham Armstrong for their continued patronage in loaning the Armstrong Collection to this area, which continues to attract tourists each Summer season, to the town.
The Thurles exhibition opens tomorrow Wednesday and is truly a ‘must see’ for lovers and students of Irish History.
“War does not determine who is right – only who is left.” Quote attributed to Bertrand Russell.
It was on 21st January 1919 that two Irish born Roman Catholic RIC constables, James Alec McDonnell and Patrick O’Connell, were escorting a horse drawn cart containing gelignite from the Tipperary town Military Barracks to the local Soloheadbeg Quarry, a distance of 7.7km or just 10 minutes modern day driving time apart. The driver of the cart was James Godfrey, accompanied by Patrick Flynn, the latter a County Council employee.
Constable McDonnell, a native of Belmullet, Co. Mayo and father of seven children, together with comrade Constable O’Connell, latter a native of Coachford, County Cork and unmarried, were both guarding this cargo of explosives.
James McDonnell & Anastasia (Doyle) (Sepia Pic) – His son Christopher McDonnell & Bridget (McGrath) (Black & White Pic) Pictures come courtesy of the Sweeney family.
History records that possibly up to eight armed and masked men, members of the then Irish Volunteers from the South Tipperary Brigade, which included their leader Séamus Robinson, Sean Tracy, Dan Breen, Sean Hogan, Tadgh Crowe, Patrick Dwyer, Michael Ryan, and Patrick McCormack opened fire on the Constables, killing both men. Volunteer GHQ had not sanctioned this ambush.
The driver and County Council worker were left unharmed. In the pocket of Constable McDonnell’s uniform were 30 electric detonators which remained undiscovered by their assailants. Hogan with Treacy and Breen drove the cart together with the explosives away from the scene. Eye witnesses later saw the cart being driven at high speed in the direction of Dundrum village, County Tipperary, and indeed the horse and cart minus its contents were later found abandoned at Allen Creamery near Dundrum, by the District Inspector of Clonmel Poer O’Shee.
The picture directly above shows; Back Row: – Bonnie, Alden & Doug Rohrer from Texas. Front Row:- Aileen Sweeney (Left), her husband Roy (Right), with their children Neil, Eoin & Blaine, & St Mary’s Famine Museum, Thurles, guide Stewart Willoughby.
A major historic event took place in St Mary’s Famine Museum in June of this year 2013, which truly should have demanded a far wider audience. It was the visit by Mrs Aileen Sweeney, latter the great granddaughter of James Alec McDonnell, the first victim of the War of Independence against England, together with her immediate family. Picture above shows McDonnell’s great, great grandson holding the gun, a Colt 45, which killed his great, great grandfather and possible the gun which fired the first shot which began the War of Independence, eventually leading to brother fighting brother, in an ensuing civil war.
Surprise, surprise, Iarnród Éireann (God Bless Them) has discontinued the early morning train service previously operating on the Limerick to Ballybrophy line, as part of their new timetable, despite the government having agreed to boost the funding of our public transport system by an extra €36 million last year, stating then that the extra cash boost was necessary to ensure public transport services remained operational.
Use It or Lose It
This 5.05am Limerick-Dublin service, which stopped in Nenagh at 06.04am, Cloughjordan at 06.23am and Roscrea at 06.43am, has now been terminated together with the 16.05pm Limerick to Ballybrophy and 18.20pm Ballybrophy to Limerick via Nenagh services. This move by Irish Rail now reduces the number of Nenagh to Dublin via Ballybrophy train alternatives, to just two services each way per day.
Local campaigners had called on all would-be commuters to “Use It or Lose It,” when the early morning service was first introduced in March of last year, however the service, which according to Irish Rail cost some €1,000 per day to operate, failed, (due to commuters failing to get out of bed at 4.00am,) to attract sufficient users and has now therefore been withdrawn. Local campaigners blame unacceptable delays and an unworkable timetable, which set impracticable targets, as the main reasons for this failure & thus termination of the service.
“Gateways to Ireland,” Continue To Benefit From Tipperary Taxes
A €3.7m funding package has been announced to improve transport links in and around Galway city. This funding will be spent on walking, cycling and public transport links for the city’s commuters. North Tipperary Junior Transport Minister Alan Kelly states that €1m will be spent on a redesign of the city’s train station with a pedestrian link to the coach station. Bus and cycle lane demand will be now assessed and the possibility of developing a “Greenway,” will also be fully examined.
Remember the recently introduced Leap Card or integrated ticket system solely for Dublin based commuters & which cost at least €55 million of taxpayers money to produce? Surprise, surprise again, Dublin children can now travel for free on the LUAS at weekends during February, March and April of this year, it has been announced yesterday. This latest generous offer, which has just been announced by the National Transport Authority and LUAS management, allows adults with valid tickets to bring up to two children under the age of 16 on this tramway with them. We are told that this new initiative is one of a number of transport fare initiatives being rolled out for Dublin during 2013.
This initiative will also of course apply to LUAS lines here in Thurles, oh yes, pardon me, I forgot, we do not have a tram service in Thurles as yet, cancelled mainly due to our eleven year delay in being granted a ring road. It will possibly come as a shock to the National Transport Authority, LUAS management and Junior Transport Minister Alan Kelly, but University Students countrywide have been riding your LUAS, Rail & Buses for free, since Stephenson built his “Rocket,” way back in 1829.
One other item of good news announced last week however, much to the delight of Tipperary Septic Tank owners & taxpayers, was the welcome revelation that some of our rural contributions to State coffers are to be spent on a €20 million make-over for Dublin’s National Gallery of Ireland. The tendering process will start presently and it is hoped to begin refurbishment work during this summer, with a view to having all the work completed in time for the 1916 centenary.
Of course “this 1916 rising centenary crack,” has little to do with Co Tipperary, well except of course for at least three of the total seven signatories of the 1916 Proclamation all having strong Tipperary links. I remind you of Thomas McDonagh who was born in Cloughjordan Tipperary. Latter a poet, playwright, teacher, soldier and signatory of the 1916 Proclamation, which proclaimed our now now new IMF Republic. He then had moved to Dublin to study, and was the first teacher on the staff at St. Enda’s, the school he helped to found, with another signatory Patrick Pearse. Then of course there was the mother of Thomas Clarke, latter the person most responsible for the 1916 Easter Rising. His mother was Mary Clarke (Maiden-name Palmer,) from Clogheen, Tipperary. Next there was James Connolly, another signatory who founded the Irish Labour Party in Clonmel Tipperary in 1912. Then there was Dan Breen born in Grange, Donohill County Tipperary, and his Soloheadbeg incident which was the first opening act of the same Irish War of Independence. Ah sure I could go on and on, but enough said. Just watch out, my friends, the big “1916 Centenary Party,” will be financed & held exclusively in An Pháil. One hopes that those participating in 2016 will not be spat on by a Dublin populace, as were those forced to surrender in 1916.
As you can gather from the above facts, none of the “Dublin Subsidises,” & “Fiscal Transfers,” gifted from our urban capitol, to Tipperary’s rural red-neck backwaters, (as recently highlighted and bitterly resented by Olivia Mitchell TD,) has yet to arrived here to Co Tipperary.
Sure maybe Olivia Mitchell TD is correct in her predictions, same transfer of funding from urban to rural areas would appear grossly unfair and God forbid could even become a permanent danger to future urban / rural social cohesion.
All joking aside, rural Ireland is being forgotten, the urban man is getting the oyster, while the rural red-neck must make do with the shell.
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