Thurles Information

American Singer, Songwriter & Pianist Jerry Lee Lewis Dead Aged 87.

It was with great regret, today, that “Rock n’ Roll” followers learned of the death of possibly the world’s most influential pianists of the 20th century; Mr Jerry Lee Lewis.

Nicknamed ‘The Killer’; the American singer, songwriter, and pianist was born on September 29th, 1935 and came to be described as “Rock n’ Roll’s” first great wild man of Rock Music.

Lewis was born to parents Elmo Kidd Lewis (Senior) and Mary (Mamie) Herron Lewis, in Ferriday, Louisiana, and grew up a member of an impoverished farming family.
In his youth, he began playing the piano with two of his cousins, Mickey Gilley and Jimmy Swaggart.
His parents mortgaged their farm to buy him his first piano, before his mother enrolled him at the Southwest Bible Institute in Waxahachie, Texas, in the hope he would sing evangelical songs exclusively.

When Lewis dared to play a boogie-woogie rendition of “My God Is Real” at a church assembly, it ended his association with the school the next morning, when the Dean of the school called Lewis into his office and expelled him.

He returned home and so began his career playing at clubs in and around Ferriday and Natchez, Mississippi; quickly becoming part of the new era Rock n’ Roll sound.

When Jerry Lee Lewis was 16 years old, he first married Ms Dorothy Barton, the daughter of a preacher.
His second marriage was in September 1953, to Jane Mitchum.

His career faltered somewhat, following his marriage to his 3rd wife, Ms Myra Gale Brown, his 13-year-old cousin, once removed. Lewis was aged 22 at the time and claimed Myra was actually 15 years old. Nevertheless, this publicity caused an uproar, and his tour was cancelled after only three concerts.

Lewis’s piano style had become synonymous with rock and roll; often played with his fists, elbows, feet, and his backside, often climbing on top of his piano during gigs.

His fourth marriage was to Jaren Elizabeth Gunn Pate.
His fifth marriage was to Shawn Stephens, and same lasted only 77 days. His sixth marriage was to Kerrie McCarver, with same lasting a total of 21 years
In 1993, Lewis moved to live in Foxrock, Co. Dublin, with his family in what was suggested to be a move to avoid issues he was having with the American Internal Revenue Service.
Lewis married his seventh wife Judith Lewis (née Brown, the ex-wife of the brother of his 3rd wife Myra Gale Brown)
These seven marriages during his career included bigamous marriages (still legally married to someone else) and resulted in his fathering of 6 children.

However, following the uproar caused by his 3rd marriage, his career would ignited once again in the late 1960s and 1970s, when he topped the country-western charts, with 30 songs reaching the Top 10 on the Billboard Country and Western Chart, including “To Make Love Sweeter for You”; “There Must Be More to Love Than This” and “Would You Take Another Chance on Me”, all hitting the No.1 spot.

Winner of four Grammy Awards, including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and two Grammy Hall of Fame Awards; Lewis was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986.

He sadly died today, October 28th, 2022, at his home in DeSoto County, Mississippi, US, aged 87 years.

In ár gcroíthe go deo.

Death Of Thomas Butler, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

It was with great sadness that we learned of the death today, Friday 28th October 2022, of Mr Thomas Butler, Croke Street, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

Pre-deceased by his daughter Mary (Shanahan), parents Margaret and Tommy, brothers Michael and Dermot, sister-in-law Sheila; Mr Butler passed away peacefully following a short illness, while in the care of staff of Tipperary University Hospital and Padre Pio Nursing Home, Holycross, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

His passing is most deeply regretted and sadly missed by his loving family; devoted wife Kathleen, daughter Joan (Cummins), grandchildren Amy, Chloe, Aaron, Dylan, Jamie and Caoimhe, sons-in law Billy (Cummins) and Matt (Shanahan), nephews, nieces, brother-in-law Murty (Gleeson), sisters-in-law Breda, Mary, Maura and Maureen, cousins, extended relatives, good neighbours and great friends.

Requiescat in pace.

Funeral Arrangements.

The earthly remains of Mr Butler will repose at the home of his daughter, Joan Cummins, Killough, Thurles, (via Yellow Lough), on Monday afternoon next, October 31st, from 4:00pm until 7:00pm.
His body will be received into the Cathedral of the Assumption, Cathedral Street, Thurles on Tuesday morning, November 1st, at 10:30am, to further repose for Requiem Mass at 11:00am.
Interment will follow immediately afterwards in St. Patrick’s Cemetery, Moyne Road, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

For those unable to attend Requiem Mass for Mr Butler, same can be viewed streamed online HERE.

The extended Butler family wish to express their appreciation for your understanding at this difficult time and have made arrangements for those wishing to send messages of condolence, to use the link shown HERE.

Note Please: Family flowers only. Donation in lieu, if desired, to the Alzheimers Society of Ireland.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

Dementia Friendly Thurles.

Dementia is not a specific disease, but is rather a general term for the impaired ability to remember, think, or make decisions that interferes with doing everyday activities.

Thurles Nurse Ursula Paine Now Reports: –

“Our next Memory Cafe will take place on Wednesday morning next, November 2nd, 2022, in the Bookworm Bookshop, No.1 Parnell Street, Thurles, Co. Tipperary, running from 11:00am until 12.30pm.

The topic being covered this month will relate to speech and language issues, that a person may experience as a result of dementia; same which interferes with the ability to communicate, eat safely, drink or swallow.

We will have a guest speaker, Claire, a speech and language therapist, latter from the HSE, to discuss this topic within the group, and all are welcome to attend.”

Tipperary Men On Bail Plead Guilty To Burglary Before Cork Criminal Court.

Two Tipperary male residents, who were arrested wearing snood scarves, gloves and baseball caps and who violently resisted arrest when they were interrupted by an Emergency Response Unit, have both appeared in Cork Circuit Criminal Court.
The men were arrested while attempting to carry out a robbery at a Co. Cork address, on January 21st 2022. Both criminals believed their targeted, Bandon home contained a large amount of cash.

The court heard that Mr Larry O’Connor, aged 32, with an address at “An Duiche”, Scahelene, Tipperary town, and Mr Patrick Harty, aged 27, of Mountain View, Bansha Road, Tipperary, together with three associates; two of whom were juveniles, left the Cashel area, to arrive at the targeted Bandon address, travelling in a high-powered Audi A3 motor vehicle, latter bearing cloned registration plates.

Both men have pleaded guilty before the court to burglary, possession of various articles and criminal damage.

The court heard that Mr Harty together with Mr O’Connor and another juvenile, broke the lock, enabling them to gain entry to the unoccupied dwelling.
On being disturbed by the Emergency Response Unit, (ERU), Mr O’Connor ran out of the front door of the building, wielding a crowbar, before colliding with a garda; dragging the latter down steps, before the former was restrained.

Mr O’Connor is a married man with two children and a known abuser of alcohol and drugs, with 85 previous convictions relating to serious criminal activity. He was already on bail at the time of this offence; in relation to a previous aggravated burglary in Newcastle, Co Limerick; for which he subsequently had received a twelve year prison sentence.

Mr Harty, a married father of three, has 25 previous convictions, four of which are also for burglary. He was on bail for road traffic offences at the time of this crime. The court heard that he also attempted to escape arrest exiting from a window at the rear of the property; and also violently resisted Garda detention.

Presiding Judge Ms Helen Boyle said she needed time to consider an appropriate sentence before remanding both men in custody for sentencing on November 21st next.

No Information On Why Thurles Street Lights Remain Extinguished During Rush Hour.

We have been receiving a number of queries over the past 6 weeks, with regards to the non-availability of public lighting in Liberty Square, Thurles, during the dark evening rush hour period.

We were aware that despite an energy crisis here in Ireland, over 56 lamp standards continuously remain lighting over a 24 hour period, each day, within the Thurles town precinct.
However, motorists are now informing us that lights are not illuminating our streets, as the local work force return home from their places of employment.

We sent out our “eye in the sky” to investigate at 5.45pm this evening, October 27th 2022.

See drone images hereunder:

**Liberty Square Thurles, October 27th, 2022. Time 5:45pm**.
*Drone Image: G. Willoughby*

We discovered that despite the promises by local Municipal District councillors and Tipperary Co. Council, to increased footfall on our widened pavements, same has been reduced to just one person riding on an electric scooter, and indeed most of the roadway lighting remains indeed extinguished as was reported.

Thurles.Info admits, for the first time, to being totally flummoxed, confused and perplexed and we apologise wholeheartedly, with complete sincerity, to our many readers, for being unable to answer their query.

Pointless emailing local councillors and officials, as they refuse to answer or are not familiar in the use of their email system. Still maybe, one of our Councillors might straighten their index finger and message us; spelling out the problem with the solution, before someone gets hit by a motor vehicle.