Thurles Information

Government Approval Received For New Garda Reserve Recruitment Campaign.

Recruitment campaign expected to be launched soon.
Revised Regulations provide for more efficient training and more effective deployment of Garda Reserves.
Target of at least 1,000 Garda Reserve members by 2026.

The Minister for Justice, Mrs Helen McEntee TD, has today received Cabinet approval for updated regulations on recruitment, training and deployment of the Garda Reserve.
She has committed to launching a recruitment campaign as soon as possible and has set a target of 1,000 Garda Reserves by 2026, to further support Garda members nationwide.

The Garda Reserve is a voluntary body drawn from the community to assist An Garda Síochána with local patrols and crime reduction initiatives, policing major incidents and events, and providing operational support to regular Garda members on the basis of the reserve member’s skills or local knowledge.

Welcoming the approval by Cabinet, Mrs McEntee said: “Joining the Garda Reserve is an excellent way to give back to your community, to help make it safer, and to get experience of and an insight into working with An Garda Síochána if that is your longer term career ambition.
The new Regulations provide for a more modern approach, particularly in relation to training. The Garda Commissioner will be in a position to recruit new members of the Garda Reserve and a recruitment campaign is planned for the very near future. It will target a broad and inclusive range of candidates, in keeping with the Reserve’s role as a visible form of community engagement.
It is a priority for me to ensure An Garda Síochána has all of the support it needs to provide the world-class police service we have all come to expect. Building up the Garda Reserve to at least 1,000 members by 2026 to ensure it can meet its full potential is part of that mission”.

Notable changes in the new Regulations include:

Additional flexibility for training components that ensure new Reserves are trained efficiently and to a high standard enabling Reserve members to have the skills to take up active duty more readily.
Changes to enable more effective deployment of Garda Reserve members.
Updates to Reserve members’ hours on duty – Currently, the maximum hours a Garda Reserve member can be requested to work is 208 hours in any 12-month period. Under the new Regulations, Reserves can make themselves available for more hours, should they choose to do so.
Updated and modernised educational requirements to reflect changes that were introduced to the Leaving Certificate grading system in recent years.

The work of a Garda Reserve is varied and interesting, for example:

Working along-side the Garda Road Traffic Unit.
Ensuring public safety during State visits by foreign dignitaries.
Assisting in public order incidents and in some cases assisting in prosecutions.
Assisting with crowd control at events such as concerts, sporting events etc.
Assisting with the regular day-to-day work of An Garda Síochána.

Thurles, Co. Tipperary Male Convicted Of Rape.

A Co. Tipperary man, named as Mr John Doyle, aged 49 years, was convicted of two counts of rape and four counts of sexual assault; following a Central Criminal Court trial, latter held in Co. Wexford, last November, 2023.

The offences are understood to have taken place in the family home, situated at Littleton, Thurles, Co. Tipperary, between the years 2006 and 2017.
The court heard today that Mr Doyle’s three victims; his two daughters and his niece, have all waived their right to anonymity, in order that he be publicly named.

Mr Doyle has denied any wrongdoing and maintains his innocence.

On imposing his sentence, Ms Justice Siobhan Lankford presiding described Mr Doyle’s offences as “a significant breach of trust of the gravest kind”.

Ms Justice Lankford imposed concurrent sentences of 12 years on the rape counts, with the final one-year suspended on strict conditions. She backdated the sentences to November 17th last, while he was held in custody, and directed him to remain away from his three victims for five years, after his release from prison.

Ms Justice Lankford also placed Mr Doyle under the supervision of the Probation Services, for this same five year period, to aid his rehabilitation.

Both of Mr Doyle’s daughters claimed that he threatened to kill himself, if they, the victims told anyone what had happened. There was also a suggestion that they would be offered money, to ensure that they remained silent on the matter.

Mr Doyle also stood accused of separately sexually assaulted his then 14-year-old niece, while she was babysitting for an aunt, latter who lived next door to Mr Doyle’s private residence.

The Court heard that Mr Doyle, a father of seven, has previously four convictions for road traffic offences.

Holycross Open Drama Festival Launched.

The 41st prestigious Co. Tipperary Open Drama Festival will take place in the St. Michael’s Community Centre Theatre, in Holycross, Thurles from Friday, March 15th until Saturday March 23rd, commencing at 8:30pm nightly, except for the final night, when prizes will be awarded and starting time will commence at 8:00pm.

The adjudicator for this year’s event will be Mr Michael Poynor [Association of Drama Adjudicators (ADA)] with the inimitable Mr Donal Duggan as Festival Director and Master of Ceremonies, (as he has been for four decades, latter a feat surely deserving of a special award at this year’s festival).

Nine of Ireland’s top drama groups will be on stage for the festival’s duration and they will be bidding for the “Tipperary Star Cup” in the Confined section and the “Tipp FM Trophy” in the open category.
Three Co. Tipperary groups will bid for The “Tipperary Star Cup”, namely Holycross Ballycahill DG; Moyne DG, and Rearcross DG.

Holycross Upcoming Festival Programme

Friday, March 15th, (Open) “Dancing at Lughnasa” by Brian Friel. (Holycross/Ballycahill DG).

Saturday March 16th, (Confined) “Stolen Child” by Bairbre Caoimh and Yvonne Quinn. (Moyne Drama Group).

Sunday March 17th, (Confined) ”On Raftery’s Hill” by Marina Carr. (Wayside Players).

Monday March 18th, (Open) ”The Ferryman” by Jez Butterworth. (Ballyduff DG).

Tuesday March 19th, (Open) ”Antigone” by Sophocles and adapted by Don Taylor. (Bride-view DG).

Wednesday March 20th, (Confined) ”Same Old Moon“ by Geraldine Aron. (Slieve Aughty DG).

Thursday March 21st, (Confined) ”Drama at Inish“ by Lennox Robinson. (Rearcross DG).

Friday March 22nd, (Open) “The Lonesome West” by Martin McDonagh. (Kilmeen DG)

Saturday March 23rd, (Confined) “Now and Then” by Sean Graham and adapted by John Corless (Harvest Moon DG).

(The Festival is held under the auspices of the Amateur Drama Council of Ireland ADCI).

Season tickets are €70 and concessions are €12.
For further information you may contact Mobile Tel. No. 0862575159

Meet The Adjudicator.

This year’s adjudicator, Mr Michael Poynor, (pictured above) hails from Derry, and holds an impressive curriculum vitae.
Born in the Falkland Islands and educated in Argentina and England, he trained for theatre at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (L.A.M.D.A.), London.

He has been Artistic Director for the Lyric Theatre, Belfast; Harrogate Theatre, Yorkshire; Stage ’80 Theatre company, Belfast; Ulster Youth Theatre; The National Youth Theatre Of Wales; and currently Artistic Director at the Ulster Theatre Company. He was Chief Executive of the Millenium Forum, Derry, and Head of Culture and Arts at Queens University, in Belfast.

Mr Poynor is an award winning Director and Lighting Designer having directed over 150 productions, Designed Sets for 120 and Lighting for over 250, as well as Fight Directing for some 100 productions.

He has written a string of burlesque pantomimes including ‘Scrooge’s Christmas‘; ‘Alice!’ (latter a musical adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s most famous books); a new version of Gilbert and Sullivan’s best known operetta: ‘Rockin’ Mikado‘ which was nominated ‘Best Visiting Production’ in the 1998 Manchester Theatre Awards; ‘Comedy of Errors: The Musical’ (2013) and ‘Jonathan Harker and Dracula’ (2014).

Amongst the many productions he has directed are: The UK provincial premiere of ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’; ‘‘Grease’‘; ‘Hello Dolly’, and ‘Once a Catholic’ (at the Lyric Theatre, Belfast); ‘Interview’, and ‘The Bald Prima Donna’ (at the Ashcroft Theatre, Croydon); ‘Indians’, ‘Schweyk in the Second World War’; ‘What the Butler Saw’, and ‘Noises Off’ (at the Lyric Theatre, Belfast); ‘The Glass Menagerie’; ‘Relatively Speaking’, and ‘The Happiest of the Three’, (at the Overground Theatre, Kingston-upon-Thames), ‘Alphabetical Order’; ‘Equus’, ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’, and ‘Candida’, (at Harrogate Theatre); ‘The Snoopy Show’; ‘Hello and Goodbye’; ‘Ashes’; ‘Kelly’s Book’, and ‘Crack-Up’ (for Stage ’80), ‘How the Other Half Loves’; ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?’, and ‘The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie’, (for Theatre Ulster); ‘Can’t Pay? Won’t Pay!’; ‘The Mating Season’; ‘The Boyfriend’, and ‘Leave Him to Heaven’, (for the Arts Theatre, Belfast), ‘Oh, What A Lovely War’ and ‘The War of the Worlds’ (for the Ulster Youth Theatre), ‘La Belle Helene’, (for Castle Ward Opera Co.) and ‘West Side Story’, (with the Ulster Orchestra at the Klondike in Belfast for Opera Northern Ireland).

For the Ulster Theatre Company, he directed ‘Murder in the Cathedral’ (1998), (latter a sell-out production for Belfast Festival at Queen’s at St Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast); ‘West Side Story’; ‘A Chorus Line’; ‘Oklahoma’, and the RSC’s version of ‘The Wizard of Oz’, (all of which toured the UK and Ireland).
In 2019 he directed and designed the world premiere of Hennessy Award winner, Sam Burnside’s ‘The Long Now’, (for the Seamus Heaney Home Place Theatre).

Launch Of Thurles St Patrick’s Day Parade 2024.

Mr Johnny Kenehan, Chairperson of Thurles St Patrick’s Day Parade committee, 2024, reports.

“I am delighted to announce that the Thurles St Patrick’s Day Parade 2024 will take place on Sunday 17th March 2024 at 2:30pm in the town’s Liberty Square area.

This year’s theme is “Youth: Our hopes for the Future”. Our special guest will reflect this theme, same to be announced at a later stage.

**Picture shows: (L-R)**: Michael Cleary, Pat Carey, Johnny Kenehan, Helen Carew (Sponsor Michael’s Jewellers) Rosalie Butler, Jane Ryan, Tommy Mockler, Cllr. Seán Ryan (Cathaoirleach Thurles/Templemore MDC), Garda Chris Verling, Kieran Sheehan, Sharon Scully (District Administrator Thurles/Templemore & Sponsor Tipperary Co. Co.) and Ciarán Callanan, together with this year’s display of trophies and prizes, covering some 12 categories of entry.

The continued success of the parade over the years is based largely on the generous sponsorship of local businesses, groups and Tipperary County Council.
The quality of entries and effort by clubs and organisations also ensure this level of success and we look forward to viewing their presentations next month”.

Mr Kenehan continued; “All clubs, organisations, groups, individuals and businesses are invited to enter, and entry forms can be sourced from the Thurles Tourist Office on Slievenamon Road, in the town or simply email hello@thurlestouristoffice.ie.

We look forward to a variety of entries and a display of local talent and artistic endeavour in their efforts to showcase their own ideas and achievements, while reflecting their interpretation of our youth and our hope for the future”.

FSAI Recall Additional Batches Of Sheridans Cheesemongers Wicklow Ban Cheese.

Recall of additional batches of Sheridans Cheesemongers Wicklow Ban Cheese due to the possible presence of Listeria monocytogenes.

Alert Summary Dated today Monday, February 19th, 2024. See also HERE
Category 1: For Action
Alert Notification: 2024.06 (Update 1)
Product Identification: Sheridans Cheesemongers Wicklow Ban Cheese; pack size: 150g
Batch Code: All use-by dates from 16/02/2024 to 25/02/2024 inclusive, as well as use-by dates of 05/03/2024 & 09/03/2024.
Country Of Origin: Ireland

Message: Further to FSAI food alert 2024.06, additional batches of Sheridans Cheesemongers Wicklow Ban Cheese are being recalled due to the possible presence of Listeria monocytogenes.
The batches were sold from Sheridan’s Cheese counters in Dunne Stores shops. Recall notices will be displayed at point-of-sale.

Nature Of Danger: Symptoms of Listeria monocytogenes infection can include mild flu-like symptoms, or gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. In rare cases, the infection can be more severe, causing serious complications. Some people are more vulnerable to Listeria monocytogenes infections, including pregnant women, babies, and people with weakened immune systems, including the elderly. The incubation period (time between initial infection and first symptoms appearing) is on average 3 weeks but can range between 3 and 70 days.

Action Required: Manufacturers, Wholesalers, Distributors, Caterers and Retailers are requested to remove the implicated batches immediately from sale, before displaying recall notices at point-of-sale.

Consumers: Consumers are advised not to eat the implicated batches.