Thurles Information

Waste By Tipperary Co. Council Officials Continues.

Three men arrived on Kickham Street, Thurles on Monday January 9th last, their target to fill craters caused by one miserable shower of rain. It was the second visit by Co. Council employees to the street in just 15 days.
On Monday last they came armed with a new piece of machinery, namely a pickaxe.
I fool you not, the purpose of the pickaxe was to try out a new modern engineering technique, same never before used on a busy 3 year old disintegrating road surface.

**Filling the potholes on Kickham Street, Thurles, for the second time in 15 days**.

The technique involved on Monday last was to make the existing road craters deeper, using the new pickaxe to loosen the area lying below the non existing road surface, before filling the craters, once again, with cold tarmac.

Our forensic team here at Thurles.Info have spent two days debating the logic behind this new technique being used by the gentleman featured in the centre of the picture above.

Questions being asked include:-

Is this technique being used to allow the vast puddles of rain water, permanently lodged in these craters, to escape into the hard stony subsoil?
Was the pickaxe operator working under the instruction of Ms S. Scully (Thurles District Administrator) or Mr Tomas Duffy (District Engineer) or Mr M. O’Connor (Director of Services Roads and Transportation), or maybe Mr J. MacGrath (CE Tipperary Co. Council) or indeed all of the afore named?
Some of our forensic team are of the opinion that it may have been a gold digging operation. [Remember the lyrics of the song “Mountains of Mourne”, They don’t sow potatoes nor barley nor wheat, but there’s gangs of them diggin’ for gold in the street”.
Where is Tipperary County Council’s new Velocity Patcher equipment, purchased in November 2023? I am sure I read somewhere under a photo of Mr MacGrath (Chief Executive of Tipperary County Council) stating: “Our continuous advancement towards modernising our works programme delivery is greatly benefited by the purchase of these new vehicles over the past three years”.

These Velocity Patcher machines certainly haven’t been engaged in physical activity on Kickham Street, Thurles, Co. Tipperary, latter the now forgotten rural Tipperary town, boasting two resident TD’s, both supporting the present Irish government.

EPA’s Review 2023 Showcases Work To Address Environmental Challenges.

Carried out over 1,200 inspections of industrial and waste facilities, along with 205 urban waste water and 154 drinking water site inspections.
Obtained 19 convictions for environmental offences.
Monitored more than 2,500 waterbodies – with data showing no significant improvement in water quality – largely caused by high nutrient levels.
Provided real time data at 113 air quality monitoring stations– with particulate matter from solid fuel combustion and nitrogen dioxide from traffic causing poor air quality.
Launched new maps with up to 3 days forecast of Air Quality Index for Health.

In its 2023 Highlights the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) showcases its work in addressing environmental challenges across Ireland.

Publishing the review, EPA Director General, Ms Laura Burke said: “2023 marked the thirtieth anniversary of the EPA’s establishment. While our remit has grown, the core of what we do remains the same – we regulate activities that have the potential for significant pollution. We produce timely, reliable, trustworthy data on Ireland’s environment. And we work with others to protect and preserve our environment”.

EPA highlights of 2023 include:

Regulation

Since its establishment 30 years ago, the EPA has assessed thousands of licence applications and each year performs more than a thousand inspections of licensed sites. While the majority have operated well and in accordance with their licence, a small number have not and in those cases the EPA has exercised its full range of enforcement powers, with 19 convictions in 2023 alone. In 2023, the EPA also launched LEAP online, enabling the public to access licence, inspection, and licensee information like never before.

Knowledge

The EPA provides independent scientific evidence to inform decision making. On water quality, the EPA has monitored Ireland’s rivers, lakes and estuaries for decades, with our latest data showing no significant improvement nationally in the biological quality of rivers and lakes, which is largely attributable to excess nitrogen and phosphorous.

New forecast maps launched in 2023 predict air quality for up to three days ahead, using real-time data from 113 ambient air quality monitoring stations nationwide. While air quality in Ireland is generally good, there are concerning localised issues from particulate matter due to burning solid fuel, and nitrogen dioxide from traffic.

Waste generation continues to rise, and recycling rates are not keeping pace. Ireland remains overly reliant on unpredictable export markets for significant quantities of waste sent abroad.

EPA research shows the Irish public overwhelmingly believe climate change is already affecting Ireland, and they support climate action. While our data shows a small reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in 2022, emissions aren’t declining fast enough to meet Ireland’s commitments for 2030 and beyond.

Working with others

In 2023 the EPA partnered with a range of organisations to support the protection of Ireland’s environment. Collaborations with An Taisce and the city councils of Cork and Galway helped grow citizen science initiatives aiming to improve air quality. And coinciding with its 30th anniversary, the EPA kicked off a novel partnership with the National Library of Ireland to creatively document Ireland’s environment.

Concluding, Ms Burke said: “Three decades on from its establishment, the EPA’s role to protect, improve and restore Ireland’s environment, through regulation, scientific knowledge and working with others, is more relevant than ever”.

Further information is available in the EPA’s Review 2023, HERE

Put Out Your Bratóg Bríde Tonight For A Year of Better Health.

Have you ever heard of the Brat Bríde or Bratóg Bríde (roughly translating from Irish as Brigid’s Rag)?

It’s an old Irish tradition in honour of St Brigid. Long ago it was the custom to tie a small piece of cloth to a bush on January 31st, the eve of St Brigid’s Day, February 1st.

Overnight it was believed that the cloth would be blessed by St Brigid and conferred with healing properties. It was then worn under clothing to protect against sickness, relieve headaches and cure toothaches.

It was particularly important for pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers, because it was said to help women to produce enough nourishing milk to feed their babies.

This fascinating ancient tradition is currently being highlighted by the “Monasterevin Women’s Collective in Honour of St Brigid” and is among a host of initiatives and activities taking place across Ireland as part of Brigid 1500 celebrations this year, 2024.

Helleborus argutifolius, An Early Blooming Winter Beauty.

Helleborus argutifolius, the holly-leaved evergreen hellebore has large flowers bearing the green colour often reminiscent of a Granny Smith apple. These large blooms are set against a foil of spiny, evergreen leaves.

Helleborus argutifolius – *(argutifolius means “with sharp-toothed leaves”*).
**Today, hellebore plants of all varieties have strong associations with serenity, peace, and tranquillity**.
*Pic: G. Willoughby 2024*

The flowers of this plant appear in winter, just in time for Christmas, and remain in bloom on the plant during the winter months and often well into spring.
The plant enjoys a light shady area to live, and given the right conditions, it will self-seed sufficiently to provide replacement plants, particularly if surrounded by a gravel surface.
These beautiful plants are native to the island of Corsica and nearby Sardinia, and will grow to a shrub-like size in any garden when established; growing to over 120 cm (47 in) tall X 90 cm (3 ft) wide.

Same plants are a must for every garden, during those long dead months of winter.

Death of John Murphy, Formerly Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

It was with great sadness that we learned of the death, yesterday, Monday 29th January 2024, of Mr John Murphy (JJ), Phibsborough, Dublin and formerly of Horse and Jockey, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

Mr Murphy passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family, while inthe care of staff at the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Eccles St, Dublin 7.

His passing is most deeply regretted and sadly missed by his loving family; wife and best friend Marguerite, daughters Michelle and Joanne, sons Kenneth and Andrew, son-in-law Ken, adored grandchildren Shauna, Aimee, Callum, Leo, Inaya and Khaira, sisters Mary, Hannah and Pauline, sisters-in-law Rosemary and Gabrielle, nieces, nephews, extended relatives, neighbours and friends.

Requiescat in Pace.

Funeral Arrangements.

The earthly remains of Mr Murphy, will repose at Massey Bros Funeral Home, No. 88a New Cabra Road, Dublin 7, [D07 ET92], on Friday afternoon, February 2nd, from 5:00pm until 7:00pm same evening, with recitation of prayers at 6:30pm.
Funeral cortège will be received into the Roman Catholic Church of Christ the King, Cabra Road, Cabra East, Dublin 7, on Saturday morning, February 3rd, at 9:50am to further repose for Requiem Mass at 10:00am, followed by cremation service at 12:00 noon, in Glasnevin Cemetery, Fingal Road, Glasnevin, Dublin, [D11 XA32].

For those persons who are unable to attend Requiem Mass for Mr Murphy, same can be viewed streamed live online, HERE.
For those persons who are unable to attend cremation service, same can be viewed streamed live online, HERE.

The extended Murphy 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.

Note Please: House strictly private. Family flowers only. Donations in lieu, if desired, to the Mater Foundation.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.