Thurles Information

‘Executive Menswear’ Thurles – It’s The Sale Of The Century Folks.

With only 3 days left until the owner’s retirement, ‘Executive Menswear‘, situated on the junction of Slievenamon Road & Liberty Square, here in Thurles, Co. Tipperary is offering, truly, the ‘Sale of the Century’.

As part of their massive giveaway (sale seems inappropriate because prices are rock bottom), there is over a 70% reduction on all items of stock currently remaining.

Incredible Bargains Include: Real leather belts €10; Lamb’s wool scarves €10; Three piece suits €120; Shirts €10, Knitwear from €20, Shoes from €20; ‘I Clip’ credit card wallets, now costing less than a quarter of their normal retail price; Jeans from €10 upwards etc. etc. etc.

Be sure to grab a truly great deal on all remaining top brands/labels and quality clothing before 5:30pm on Saturday next, 24th February 2024, before the blinds come down on yet another shop closure in the heart of the town.

Take Note: All stock must go, so over the next 3 days, both Ladies and Gentlemen can easily pick up a Birthday Gift, Anniversary Gift or indeed a future Christmas Gift, for that special person in their lives; and for often less than 70% of their normal retail price!
So do get in there while stocks still remain on shelves.

Video Game Developers To Showcase Skills On TUS Thurles Campus.

Video game developers to showcase skills at 21st All Ireland Games Fleadh on the TUS Thurles Campus during 2024 Games Fleadh.
Games Fleadh 2024 open to the public for free. Online registration is available at www.gamesfleadh.ie.
Unique insights being offered into this €165-billion euro industry; to all/any visiting second and third-level students.
Games Fleadh 2024 is sponsored by TUS, EA and FiServ.

Students with ambitions in the gaming industry will get a unique insight into the €165 billion industry and access to some of the world’s most successful gaming companies and representative bodies at this year’s All Ireland Games Fleadh in the Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) Thurles Campus on Wednesday March 6, 2024.

**Games Fleadh Mascots pictured with Dr Liam Noonan, TUS and James Fogarty, TUS**.
*Pic: Alan Place*

In its 21st year, Games Fleadh continues to lead the way in recognising the brightest and best among the country’s university student game developers, while also bringing together the collective knowledge of some of the leading names in the gaming industry.

Up to 1,400 students have competed in the competition since its inception, according to the event organiser Dr Liam Noonan (TUS Software Development and Games Programming Lecturer).

“As well as being a hotly contested competition, Games Fleadh is a unique opportunity for third level students to demonstrate their games to industry veterans and gain valuable feedback on their creations,” said Dr Noonan, explaining that some of the country’s leading software developers and international gaming companies will be in attendance once again.
Games Fleadh 2024 features competitions such as a Game Studio ‘Start with Nothing’ themed competition and Robocode. Competitors will be in with a chance to win one of the many EA title prizes available.

Every year this free event, which is open to the public, also attracts second level students from all over Ireland with an interest in studying Computer Science or a future career in this competitive industry.

“The video games market is larger than the music and movie business combined, with revenues recently surpassing 180 billion dollars (approximately €165 billion) as reported by UK-based market intelligence firm Pelham Smithers. Games Fleadh continues to be a fantastic networking opportunity for the Irish game development sector. We believe that it also offers a fantastic networking opportunity for teachers to engage with third level institutions and explore best practice in teaching coding concepts,” added Dr Noonan.

Dr. Janice O’Connell (Head of Department of Information Technology at TUS) said, “The Games Fleadh is a fantastic event which integrates multiple different aspects of IT, innovation and creativity. Through the originality and imagination of Games, this unique event brings together industry, academia, current students, and future students. Special thanks to all our industry partners for their continued support, to the participants, and the staff in Thurles for making this event possible. Sincere thanks to Dr. Liam Noonan, who champions Games Fleadh every year.”

NOTE: The TUS Thurles Co. Tipperary Campus caters for students studying for qualifications in Applied Sports Science, Agricultural Science and Environmental Science, Business, Social Care Work, and Games Design.

Death Of Ann Duggan, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

It was with great sadness that we learned of the death, today Tuesday 20th February 2024, of Mrs Ann Duggan (née Devane), “Abbeydale”, Graiguenoe, Holycross, Thurles, Co. Tipperary and formerly of Ballagh, Clonoulty, Cashel, Co. Tipperary.

Pre-deceased by her parents Jack and Brigid Devane; Mrs Duggan passed away peacefully, following a brief illness, surrounded by her devoted family and while in the care of staff at Tipperary University Hospital, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary.

Her passing is most deeply regretted and sadly missed by her heartbroken family; her loving husband Donal, daughters Michelle and Georgina, sons Dónal, Daragh and Donnacha, daughters-in-law Finola, Gillian and Laura, sons-in-law Tom and Trevor, adored grandchildren, Peter, Dearbhla, Aoibh, Lúsaí, Dáithí, Shane, Bláithín, Rían, and Éadha, her brothers Tom, John, Willie, James, Patrick, and Michael, her sister Siobháin, nieces, nephews, cousins, extended relatives, kind neighbours and a large circle of friends.

Requiescat in Pace.

Funeral Arrangements.

The earthly remains of Mrs Duggan will repose at her son’s residence, “The Forge”, Holycross, Thurles, Co. Tipperary (E41 TN22) on Thursday afternoon, February 22nd, from 3:00pm until 8:00pm same night.
Her funeral cortège will depart, on foot, from “The Forge” at 11:15am on Friday morning next, February 23rd, to be received into the former Cistercian Monastery Abbey, at Holycross, Thurles, to further repose for Requiem Mass at 12:00 noon, followed by interment, immediately afterward, in Holycross Abbey Cemetery, Holycross, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

For those persons who are unable to attend Requiem Mass for Mrs Duggan, same can be viewed streamed live online, HERE.

The extended Duggan and Devane 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.

Suaimhneas síoraí dá h-anam dílis i dteannta na Naomh agus na n-aingeal.

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.