Councillors, Mr Seamus Hanifin and Mr Sean Ryan (Elected Members Thurles Municipal District Council) have both moved quickly to confirmed that the 1798 Memorial statue, better known locally as the ‘Stone Man’, will not be moved or indeed removed from its current position overlooking Liberty Square, in Thurles town, Co. Tipperary.
1798 Memorial erected on Liberty Square, Thurles in 1901
In an email addressing a number of key questions sent from Thurles.Info, Cllr. Mr Seamus Hanafin stated; “There are no plans to move the monument on Liberty Square, either during or after the works”.
Answering this same question, Cllr. Mr Sean Ryan further confirmed this welcome news, stating; “I am informed by the council’s engineering staff that the statues in Liberty square will not be moved during the upgrade of the square”.
Fears expressed to Thurles.Info some weeks ago, were based, understandably, on an early drawing of the ‘new look’ sanctioned Liberty square, (Image shown above) which appears to indicate that the statue of Archbishop Thomas William Croke, (First G.A.A. Patron) would be moved to replace the ‘Stone Man’, latter which would be then be moved elsewhere, out of its current streetscape position.
To read more on the history of the 1798 Memorial please view HERE. To read more on the history of Archbishop Thomas William Croke, First G.A.A. Patron, please view HERE.
Further community public engagement with regards to the planned upgrade to Thurles Town Centre has, understandably, been put on hold due to the Covid-19 virus pandemic.
Earlier this year, an on-line questionnaire had been commissioned by Tipperary County Council, in their effort to obtain public feedback, as part of ongoing research into this town centre project.
We are informed that same questionnaire received some 692 submissions by the agreed closing date. However, with the population of Thurles standing at, give or take, some 7,682 souls (CSO 2019), perhaps the feedback could have been more enthusiastically received by those residents with I.T. skills.
However, those who did complete the questionnaire, highlightedthe more obvious; ‘Heavy Traffic’, ‘Empty Shops’ and ‘High Unemployment’ as their main issues of concern, in relation to this most historic of town centre areas. [General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) no doubt prohibits the public from reading the submissions.]
Environmental consultancy LUC(landuse.co.uk), led by principal landscape architect Ms Emily Beedham, has now been commissioned by Tipperary County Council, to assist in creating a more vibrant Thurles town centre, killed off in the past mainly by parking charges introduced by the very same commissioning Tipperary County Council.
Of course very few of the submissions, while rightly highlighting concerns; offered real solutions to the concerns they raised.
In the silentvideo shown above, purporting to come from Tipperary County Council, [Note, as we go to press YouTube inform us that only 73 people have viewed same to date.], at present only two immediate questions come to mind: – (1) Is the 1798 monument, erected in 1901, [View Here], going to be removed entirely? (2) Where is it going to be reinstated, or are we giving it away, like the arch entrance to the Thurles Workhouse; the Market House Bell from the Hospital of the Assumption; the cast- iron water pump and stone drinking trough last seen in Cathedral Street, etc. etc.? Unconfirmed rumours have it that it will be confined to a carpark.
Perhaps the fate of this 1798 monument has been discussed by local elected Councillors and now one or more elected members might like to inform our readers regarding its planned future.
After all public feedback is high on the list of Tipperary Co. Council’s daily priorities.
In a dismal attempt at “Waterford Whispers News” style humour, the tipperarylive.ie reporter attempted to confirm that the then H.R.H Prince of Wales and then H.R.H Duchess of Cornwall would be “relocating to Tipperary permanently”.
Claiming an exclusive interview, references to “the pair dazzled with their dance moves as they were taught a traditional Irish jig, during a visit to the Brú Bórú cultural centre”, — “couple to give up their Royal duties and do a “Harry and Meghan on it” and abscond to Tipperary”, — “Prince Charles confirmed he and Camilla would be making the move, but added ……….. he is expected to live in the Cashel Palace as he loves their scones”.
Anonymous Letter Published By Tipperary Star Newspaper. (Note the poor spelling conveyed here and in other communications viewed, sent by the same author, who should now resign with immediate effect.)
To further add insult to injury, same local press source stated that the present King Charles III had in turn said: “Sure, I love you Irish, particularly the Tipperary lads. I never have to put my hand in my pocket for anything”; with Camilla supposedly adding “Oh I’m over the moon with the plans to move and Netflix are going to do a documentary on our lives in Tipperary. It’ll be grand! Oprah also wants to do an interview but she can f..k off.”
This somewhat derisory published article, sadly reflects on our attitude towards attracting tourists and Tipperary tourism failure in general.
Now we have learned, recently, via TippFm radio, that King Charles III (King of the United Kingdom and 14 other Commonwealth realms), together with his wife, Queen Camilla, (also Queen of the United Kingdom and 14 other Commonwealth realms), is to be invited to visit the grave of his progenitor, here in the weed infested St. Mary’s graveyard, in Thurles Town, Co. Tipperary.
A committed environmentalist with a long history of campaigning for better conservation, organic farming and tackling climate change; King Charles will no doubt be encouraged to visit Thurles, having learned that a live hare was savagely sacrificed to an unmuzzled Whippet. Same act of barbarity carried out in a Christian graveyard, being accepted as some sort of ‘right of passage‘; following a recent funeral in our local St. Patrick’s Cemetery, situated at Moyne Road, in the town.
Strict Warning to those with a modicum of sensitivity, when it comes to their love of animal. Best to avoid watching this shamerful video shown HERE; same sadly watched in silence by almost 74,000 viewers todate, according to the social media outlet Twitter.
Note: A joint operation is currently being conducted by Thurles Gardaí and the National Parks and Wildlife Service with regards to this same incident. Anyone with information relating to this or other related incidents are asked to contact Thurles Garda Station Tel: 0504-25100.
Before any invite to this town is issued, a lot needs to be undertaken, but it shouldn’t be done simply because a dignitary may be visiting. It should be done because the people of Thurles deserve it and should have a basic understanding of their local heritage.
An invitation should not be extended under the guise of exploiting his status to boost our tourism. It should be extended to acknowledge the historical links between the Windsors and Thurles.
We should also spend less time importing people and festivals to “boost” our tourism, we should concentrate on celebrating and preserving our rich local history.
A number of outstanding issues will also need to be addressed Planning permission etc
Alas, it would appear that in the absence of the Korean ambassador; King Charles III is to be the new target of the Durlas Eile Eliogarty Memorial Committee, of which Councillor Ryan is a prominent leading member.
Sadly, with almost every business having been forced out of Liberty Square, Thurles, by Tipperary Co. Council, this lukewarm invitation now proposed to be extended to King Charles, will target only the 3 month period set aside for tourism.
Nevertheless, could this invitation now indicate that at least one local Councillor has suddenly realised that history attracts tourists, despite the efforts of current Fianna Fail councillors, aided by Tipperary Co. Council and led by their Chief Executive Mr Joe MacGrath, successfully eradicating the last morsels of a rich Thurles heritage, e.g. Great Famine Double Ditch, being just one example.
What would have to be accomplished in Thurles, Co. Tipperary before attempting to attract King Charles III and Queen Camilla to visit ?
The short answer, using a phrase containing just 14 letters and in plain language – “A Bloody Miracle”.
Thurles based politicians (Lowry and Cahill), together with local Councillors are great when it comes to reacting, but same show little or no ability to, or indeed interest in, pre-empting issues when it comes to assessing the real needs of those who elected them.
One would assume that any such forthcoming visit would result in Tipperary Co. Council spending considerable sums of taxpayers money. Same would most likely result, [in a local council election year], in an immediate increase in Local Property Tax, which currently for 2024 has ‘cute whoreishly’ been avoided.
Then there is the second half of the Liberty Square upgrade to be undertaken. The upgrade of entry roads into the town, e.g.Kickham Street, Slievenamon Road, etc.
With little or no parking available, security staff would end up double parking, while King and Queen attempted to walk amid the beer barrels in the hallowed muck of the Black Castle grounds, as they both traced the steps of his ancestor, Lady Elizabeth Butler / Mathew. Here also the present owner of the castle would no doubt be anxious to make a good impression, since there is strong evidence that the ground floor of this Black Castle was, in more recent times, used as an animal slaughter house, and would therefore require certain modifications.
Before personnel within Tipperary Co. Council compose their invitation for the Durlas Eile Eliogarty Memorial Committee, the following information should be noted:
There is no grave site which identifies the area where Lady Elizabeth of Thurles is interred. The Archer tomb, currently positioned east of the graveyard had, over previous years, been allowed to collapse. Tipperary Co. Council workers were instructed to move same to an area devoid of grave markers to be reassembled, resulting in pieces of the collapsed tomb being erected in the wrong order and the true, general area of Lady Elizabeth’s last resting place, lost forever.
Then of course there was, in the past, the anonymous letter sent by a partially illiterate member of Durlas Eile Eliogarty Memorial Committee, using the non-existent name of Don Connor, Bay-Ridge, Brooklyn, New York, claiming that the graveyard was being used to sell drugs. This anonymous letter, pushed through the letter box of the offices of the Tipperary Star newspaper, was published without any proper investigation, resulting eventually in the loss to Thurles of the Great Famine Museum.
If this anonymous letter were true, which it was not, is there a chance that King Charles or Queen Camilla could be offered the drugs available locally, e.g. ‘Purple Passion’, ‘Mexican Tar’, ‘Black Mamba’, ‘Yellow Sunset’ or God forbid ‘Aunt Nora’ or ‘Jolly Green’?
Sure look, all we can do in a neglected town boasting two TD’s is keep silent, vote early and vote often, as we continue to dream.
Two TD’s in Thurles town, yet no announcements by either Mr Jackie Cahill TD or Mr Michael Lowry TD, on Kickham Street upgrade.
Road structure in question is on Thurles MD’s three year roads programme for an upgrade, with work likely to be scheduled next year 2023, or maybe the year after, 2024.
This was the state of Kickham Street Thurles today, February 12th, 2022. See video hereunder. _______________________________
When there’s a funding announcement every TD and Local Councillor rushes to claim that they were part of it, despite having had no hand, act or part in any such acquisitions. TD’s and Local Councillors have absolutely no power in current decision making, and none of them want to take responsibility when unpopular decisions have to be made.
Instead, local elected public representatives choose silence; not wanting to be associated with negativity and obvious failure, in case it should impact on their vote, come next election. Let’s examine recent announcements all claimed by every idle local elected politician and Thurles Municipal District Councillors, regardless of their political affiliations.
€86,200 announced, on 22nd September 2021, for upgrade to Old Baker Street.(Nothing ever happened.)
€3 million announced on 18th September 2020 for a multi-functional tensile weatherproof venue, for Thurles Town Carpark, Cathedral Street Thurles, rooting up what was officially upgraded and opened to great acclaim less than 6 years ago (March 2016). (Nothing has ever happened.)
€75,000, which had been allocated in February 2019, to allow for the construction of a new raised roundabout on Abbey Road, Thurles, at the junction of the entrances to Lidl Supermarket and the Kennedy Park housing estate.(Work eventually got underway in September 2021.) See Link Here
Cost not known for second re-alignment upgrade to the junction at Slievenamon Road and Clongower Road in just a 2 years period, caused by engineering errors.
Cost not known for Parnell Carpark upgrade, announced on January 12th, 2022, due we were then told to get under way in the coming weeks.
Cost not known for Liberty Square (Ulster Bank) Car Park, announced on January 19th 2022, and promised to start on next weekend.
Kickham Street roadworks upgrade, now placed on Thurles Municipal District’s three year roads programme.
Several times each week, at least, Mr Jackie Cahill TD and Mr Michael Lowry TD, travel this busiest road into and out of Thurles, namely Kickham Street(as indeed do our elected councillors). It is fair to assume they are continuing locally to chase elusive millionaires, since they rarely can be viewed, sitting in boring old Dáil Éireann.
On the 16th January 2022, we wrote to Ms Sharon Scully, Thurles Administrator, regarding neglect and waste here in Thurles town. See Link.
We wish to point out that all communications with Ms Scully were sent/forwarded to and received by Mr Joe MacGrath, Chief Executive of Tipperary Co. Council, Telephone (Work): 0818 06 5000joe.macgrath@tipperarycoco.ie. As was expected, noreply was ever received from Mr Joe MacGrath.
We received a ‘slap on the wrist’ contained in Ms Scully’s reply of two days later, which read as follows: “Firstly let me say that the issue of road signage facing in the wrong direction will be addressed. District staff will be asked to rectify this issue over the coming weeks. However, resources can only be dedicated to this task when more urgent works such as housing repairs, burials and roadworks allow.Four weeks later and nothing has been achieved. Ms Scully went on to highlight the good work that has been carried out, by her office, such as works on Liberty Square and the River Suir Walkway, as well as funding that had been secured to redevelop Thurles Market Quarter. No mention of TD’s being involved in these acquisitions by Ms Scully, despite TD’s claims.
Then came the verbal ‘slap’, “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.“
We have often been “Slapped on the Wrist” before. Ms Scully, Local Newspapers, Radio and Thurles.Info continuously discuss Drugs, Crime within the Thurles area. Should we stop, in the interests of “not painting the town of Thurles in a poor light”? Yes, we at Thurles.Info are the only people who refuse to publish the “positive spin” from the MDC’s offices. From last year, we refuse to accept weekly press releases from local TD’s; contents of which can be clearly characterized as occurring only in fiction from those on vast salaries and wishing to remain on them courtesy of their electorate..
Well as everyone in this town will be aware, I most certainly do not want to denigrate Thurles. However, one word stands out in Ms Scully’s reply; note the single word “roadworks”.
“TII’s purpose is to provide sustainable transport infrastructure and services, delivering a better quality of life, supporting economic growth and respecting the environment.” – According to TII’s own Website.
Early last year 2021, we logged a serious issue with Tipperary County Council Service Desk [reference number T-151500-F3F10761 065000]. The problem raised questions about the ability and failings of Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), regarding work on Kickham Street, Thurles. Mr Thomas Duffy, (Senior Executive Engineer), contacted me by phone, following my complaint. I was led to believe that action to correct the roadworks would be undertaken, thus protecting the houses and homes on Kickham Street, Thurles.
On 8th March 2021, almost one year ago, local radio and local newspapers announced, (quoting from one source):- “The first area to be tackled is the N75 at Kickham Street which will continue until next Thursday. District Administrator Sharon Scully says this will result in a road closure. Traffic leaving the Square – so outbound traffic – will be diverted up Mitchell Street. We will keep a two-way traffic flow on Mitchell Street but that will mean there will be parking restrictions. So the diversion will be up Mitchell Street – up as far as the Mace shop – and then you’ll be brought back over onto Kickham Street. Inbound traffic then will be diverted at the nursing home at the Mill Road junction – along the Mill Road and back onto Slievenamon Road.”
Transport Infrastructure Irl., employees worked Monday & Tuesday, a half day on Wednesday and then left the area, but not after their road sweeper had removed/sucked-up all the tarmac/asphalt from the holes they had patched. A depression outside my own home was never included in their repairs. Mr Duffy was sent pictures of TII’s handywork via Tipp, Co. Co. customer service.
On January 19th 2022, almost one year later from my initial Customer Relationship Management raised issue; I again communicated with Ms Scully, stating:- “As your office is aware Kickham Street is now the busiest and the most dangerous road in Thurles, and all I requested from your Mr Thomas Duffy (Senior Executive Engineer) was to fill one depression outside my home to stop water being splashed, damaging the front wall of my home. (See Video). I asked that asphalt be used and not cold tarmac, to avoid gravel also being fired at my front window. Evidence was provided – Nothing was done. See link and date HERE and also HERE.
The reply, by return, from Ms Scully stated:- “I have followed up with the District Engineer in relation to the CRM you have quoted below. He has confirmed that the road in question is on Thurles MD’s three year roads programme for an upgrade, with work likely to be scheduled next year. The District Engineer confirmed that any drainage issues and chambers will be addressed during those works”.
Despite my badly stinging wrist; Ms Scully added:- “My email to you of the 18th January was in no means meant as a criticism of you. I apologise if you saw it as such.” This was followed by what I interpret as some sort of humour from Ms Scully;- “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.”ViewHere.
With regard to “strong community engagement”; what was the individual costs of both re-alignment upgrades to the junction at Slievenamon Road and Clongower Road last year, including the cost of added new traffic lights?
According to Ms Scully, it took Mr Thomas Duffy (Senior Executive Engineer)7 days to examine the depression housing a reservoir of filthy, leaf filled water, outside my home; same transferred by speeding traffic every 5 seconds onto the window, door and wall of my home. He never got around to clearing the drains reported to his office, last July, 2021, still on view today.
On February 10th, 2022, just before planned litigation was due to be put into operation, Ms Scully informs us that:- “Further to your email below dated the 9th February, I can confirm that we are continuing to follow up with Irish Water to ensure that work is carried out to rectify reinstatement works, carried out recently (No Not Recently) outside your property on Kickham Street. As previously stated, Tomas Duffy, District Engineer inspected the location on Kickham Street, outside your property on the 8th February. Mr Duffy reported that the water ponding is directly due to reinstatement works associated with water main works carried out by Irish Water. The complaint was referred to Irish Water in order to rectify the matter. Mr Duffy then followed up the report directly with the Water Services in Tipperary County Council and impressed on them the urgency to have this work rectified.” Now, some 12 months later, Mr Duffy has decided to correct the situation by “passing the buck” to another internal Tipperary Council organisation.
To add to this current ludicrous and humiliating failure, that is Kickham Street, Thurles, today, one year on; last week contractors currently working on the “Widows Homes“; latter also under the direct control of Tipperary Co. Council housing department, have chosen to spread their construction waste, muck and gravel on east Kickham Street.
This main thoroughfare into Thurles, today, looks like an unkempt, waterlogged, farmers laneway, as our video above shows. Pedestrian traffic-safety-islands are filthy and damaged signage from same islands; for several months, now not replaced, yet clearly on display, dumped in the Thurles MDC’s Parnell Street carpark.
These issues raised today are factual, shameful and a disgrace, as Thurles attempts to attract tourism from home and abroad. Why do we continue to pay ‘Property Tax’, when home owners are obliged to purchase traffic cones, in order to protect the fronts of their property, from the failed actions of our Municipal District Council officials?
Thurles Municipal District have now been given a further 7 days with which to repair at least portion of the damage being caused by Kickham Street traffic, to property, before litigation is once again entered into.
The Department Of Transport and all local councillors and local TD’s have been notified in person.
Let’s be honest, come next Local and National elections, the people of Thurles have no one person worthy of their vote. Sad to say, Fianna Fáil, Labour and Fine Gael have no one person fit or capable of representing their particular political party in County Tipperary.
Regular maintenance is essential in every village, town or city. Same enables us to keep our work environment clean, safe and reliable. Inadequate maintenance leads eventually to dangerous situations, near accidents and even serious health problems.
Here in Thurles local political factions are ‘quick off the mark’ to announce something new, whether involved or not, mostly not, each failing to realise that we the taxpayers are paying the bill for what they are announcing. If we raise issues, we are being negative, non-progressive and failing to be positive in our attitudes, as same TD’s and Councillors crowd around waiting to have their photo taken.
As our elected representatives announce “that new something”, they fail to put into place even a smidgen of required maintenance in their thought process. Now, having watched the slide-show above, let us take a look at the undeniable evidence of which I speak about here in Thurles.
Tipperary planning authority granted developers on the new Lidl site, (latter accessed from Slievenamon Road in Thurles), permission to remove 150 meters of mature deciduous Blackthorn (Prunus spinosahe) during the nesting season, same against EU law. They sowed 8 small saplings to replace same. Today 4 of these tree saplings are dead. No maintenance.
All over the town, buildings both public and private display poor quality graffiti, (no evidence of the pseudonymous England-based street artistBanksy so far), now a common site. After weeks of watching the offensive graffiti “Vaccines Kills“, we contacted Thurles Town administrator, Ms Sharon Scully last. Ms Scully immediately replied, “Mr Willoughby, Thank you for your email. I have asked the Town Foreman to remove the graffiti at his earliest convenience”. It was still there today. No maintenance.
Exercise areas beautifully provided in our town park, which was officially opened by Councillor Mr Seamus Hanafin (27th March 2016 only 5 years ago), are now badly vandalised, smashed up over 2 years now. ‘Hedge Bindweed’ (Calystegia sepium) climbs the metal fences. Here again spray-can graffiti is everywhere. Bye-laws governing consumption of alcohol are openly flouted. Some 22 metres, exactly from a public toilet and in an area where children play and adults walk, we have undeniable evidence of human excrement. Emulsion paint spread over newly dried cement now lies on the ground at the new foot bridge, since last winter. No attempt to sweep it up. Electric lighting is working day and night on the footbridge and Thomond Road. No maintenance.
Clothing Pods and Glass Pods in Parnell Car-Park and elsewhere is left unattended and regularly overflowing. No maintenance.
River Suir is turned into a cesspit. A stone embankment beside Barry’s Bridge, built by the late Mr Wilbert Houben and myself, was destroyed over the past 14 days when several ton of sand and other building materials were dropped onto its surface by those employed to repair the underbelly section of the bridge. A Grundfos stainless steel pump, generously donated by Cantwell Electrical, Gortnahoe, and which airated the river, as a performing fountain, has vanished without a mention. No maintenance.
‘The Source’ building is now the dirtiest looking building in Thurles town. Initially paid for by rate paying local businesses, same is run by Tipperary Co. Council. Tipperary Co. Co operate this latter complex, plus a gym and swimming pool, in competition with other local restaurants, pubs, hotels and theatres. It greedily eats up massive arts grants not readily available to its competitors. Alongside ‘The Source’ the 3 wooden tubs have now disintegrated over 3 years ago and their Box hedging contents remain an embarrassment. No maintenance.
Now let us take a look at the Liberty Square upgrade. First let me say the actual workmanship is very professional, while the design itself is an absolute disaster. Allow me to explain. The 3 tiny litter bins provided in this area to date overflow by noon every day. An employee armed with a handheld mechanical reach extender (grabber arm, helping hand, trash picker, picker-upper, extended gripper, long arm gripper, extended reach grabber, grabber tool, call it what you like), wanders about grabbing objects that should have found a home in a litter bin. Some shopkeepers now work on the assumption that they are no longer responsible for the plastic cups, cans, cardboard cups and other disposable item discarded by their customers, same involved in outdoor eating outside their premises, sitting on free furniture paid for by the taxpayer. Should we insist that no further disposable items be used on Liberty Square one wonders? Signage is erected too close to narrow lanes of traffic. Same are already bent after just a 3 day exposure. Engineers have learned nothing from previous pedestrian crossing traffic light problems and associated money wasting. Tyre tracks are already evident on pedestrian areas, as motorists attempt to find parking @ €1.60 per hour. Will this new granite brickwork be regularly cleaned? Presently there are no plans. No maintenance.
Perhaps our five local elected councillors and two Tipperary elected local TD’s would like to join me for a stroll, before dark some evening. I promise to give each and all of you massive publicity, as I record your lame excuses.
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