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Take Care Of Cents & Euros Will Take Care Of Themselves.

The once quote of ‘Take care of the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves’, is usually attributed to William Lowndes (1652–1724) an English Whig politician during the reigns of King William, Queen Anne, and King George I. He would become British Secretary of the Treasury in 1695 and bore the nickname “Ways and Means Lowndes”.
Despite our move to euro coin denominations in 2002, the proverb still holds that if you concentrate on saving small amounts of money, you’ll soon amass a larger amount.

But enough ‘history waffling’ from me, let’s take a look at the cost and benefits of two brands of Potato Waffles.

Data hereunder is taken from the free Yuka application (App) available to download to your phone.

Harvest Basket WafflesProduct
Rated Good 63/100
Price €1.39Birds Eye WafflesProduct
Rated Good 54/100
Price €2.99
Protein2.7gProtein2.5g
Fibre 2.3gProtein1.7g
Saturates 1gSaturates 0.6g
Sugar0.4gSugar0.7g
Salt0.35gSalt0.75g
Energy207kcalEnergy180kcal
Additives1Additives1

Having digested the above data our readers will note that not only is the Harvest Basket Waffles rated better by the app (63/100), but the packet is larger, containing two more waffles, while the price is €1.60 cheaper than its named rival, so do keep this knowledge in mind when next you visit your local supermarket.

No I am not a paid representative for Harvest Basket Waffles. Maybe I should be!

Death Of Paddy Kinane, Formerly Co. Tipperary.

It was with great sadness that we learned of the death, yesterday Sunday 28th January 2024, of Mr Patrick (Paddy) Kinane, Verdon Mews, Cork City, Co. Cork and formerly of Ardeen, The Mall, Templemore, Co. Tipperary.

Mr Kinane passed away peacefully, while in the care of staff at Marymount University Hospital, Curraheen Road, Cork.

Pre-deceased by his parents James and Catherine, his sisters Noreen and Maureen, brothers Sean, Jimmy and Micheál; the passing of Mr Kinane is most deeply regretted and sadly missed by his children Catriona, Roisin and James, grandchildren Darragh, Jarlath, Shane and Michaela, sisters Cecilia and Breda, niece Patricia and all his other nieces, nephews, cousins, extended relatives, treasured neighbours and friends.

Requiescat in Pace.

Funeral Arrangements.

The earthly remains of Mr Kinane will repose at O’Dwyer’s Funeral Home, Cappanaleigh, Upperchurch, Thurles, Co. Tipperary on Tuesday evening, January 30th, from 6:00pm with recitation of prayers at 7:00pm.
His funeral cortège will be received into Ileigh Church, Borrisoleigh, Thurles, Co. Tipperary on Wednesday morning, January 31st, to further repose for Requiem Mass at 11:00am, followed by interment, immediately afterwards, in the adjoining graveyard.

The extended Kinane 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.

“The Kinane family would like to thank the staff of Marymount Hospital for the wonderful care that he received, while a patient”.


Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

Thurles New Street Sweeper Machine Needs Better Brushes.

Early this morning two road sweepers made an appearence on Kickham Street, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

The big road sweeper machine passed up and down the street at least 3 times, same gathering up the gravel it failed to suck up on Friday last.

New street sweeper machine continues to be operated, while unable to suck up filth and dirt. The waste of taxpayer’s money, by Tipp. Co. Co. continues without any reduction in intensity or strength.
Pic: G. Willoughby 29th January 2024.

The small road sweeper machine with the worn out left hand brush was taxed with sweeping the footpaths; in an attempt to remove the gravel flung at the fronts of homes of street residents and unsuspecting pedestrians, by the daily heavy traffic.

You will note that this editor didn’t use the word ‘cleaned’ in any of the above text, since this small machine only collected and left a ridge of dirt and filth behind it; same neatly piled in the centre of the footpaths. (See image shown above).

Something we have learned over the years here in Co. Tipperary is that politicians, councillors and their officials are chosen mainly by their ability to provide spin. Such silence is also displayed by our local newspapers and some local radio broadcasters; latter who are supposed to generate a certain power and remain important to our democracy, but no longer can be perceived as promoters of community responsibility.

In the interests of openness and transparency, Tipperary Co. Council senior officials have been notified.

Launch Of New Deposit Return Scheme Set For February 1st, 2024.

All 4 major Supermarkets at least, here in Thurles, have been busy preparing for the launch of the new Deposit Return Scheme, same expected to commence with effect from Thursday February 1st next, 2024.

This new scheme will see consumers pay a small deposit on drinks contained in plastic bottles and cans. However, this added purchase cost will be given back, when consumers return their drink containers to these participating supermarkets.

Drinks containers with an individual Re-Turn Logo are expected to start appearing in shops from February 1st; however, only cans and plastic bottles featuring that logo will be accepted into these now ready to roll reverse vending machines.

With this long awaited new venture about to be launched, it is hoped that the scheme will help Ireland to reach its recycling goals; part of the current EU single-use plastics directive.

Major Decline In Tipperary River Water Quality.

A Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO) representative has informed Nenagh Municipal District councillors, last week, of a major decline in the water quality of Tipperary’s rivers and streams.

Ms Catherine Seale-Duggan the newly appointed Community Water Officer with LAWPRO has warned that the quality of watercourses in Co. Tipperary has dropped substantially and worryingly over the past 10 years.

State of River Suir just 100 meters from Barry’s bridge in Thurles Town centre.
Pic: G. Willoughby, 2019.

Ms Seale-Duggan confirmed that only 1/3 of rivers in Tipperary were in the category of “Good and High Status”, whereas ten years previously almost 2/3 of the counties rivers fell into that same stated category. She stated that the Nenagh River (Irish: An Ghaothach) which rises in the Silvermine Mountains in Co.Tipperary, and flows east of Nenagh into Lough Derg, north of Dromineer village, falls into the “Moderate Status” category.

River Suir at Barry’s Bridge, Thurles town centre.
Pic: G. Willoughby, 2021.

“What we are aiming for in the case of every river and stream,is the Good and High Status”, Ms Seale-Duggan stated, “We are targeting those areas where the water quality is adversely impacted, and agriculture is part of that concern and focus. Inspectors will visit farms and look at opportunities to stop pollutants getting into rivers and streams”.

This work will now be heavily subsidised through a €60 million project and advisers from Dairy Co-ops will be engaging directly with farmers. Alas, the farming community will continue in the mindset of “I have rights” and no indigenous mindset showing that “I have obligations” in serving present and future generations, not to mention the health of the very planet itself.
Water European Innovation Partnership (EIP) is also working to reduce the loss of nutrients in farms and to prevent nutrients from these same areas, gaining access to watercourses and polluting them.
According to ICBF data, accurate up to June 1, 2023 the county with the second-largest dairy herd is Co. Tipperary with 194,018 cows, which is an increase of 59,259 head, since 2013. (Largest is Co. Cork).
There is a difference of 69,544 head of cattle, between Co. Tipperary and Co Kilkenny, latter in third place on ICBP’s list.

Thurles.Info has continuously, over the past eleven years, raised this same issue (first on November 7th, 2013, in relation to the River Suir).

We hope that Ms Catherine Seale-Duggan, the newly appointed Community Water Officer with LAWPRO, has better success with Municipal District officials than we had.