Thurles Information

Former Tipperary Soldier Denies Murder Of Retired Army Captain.

A 67-year-old former Defence Forces member has pleaded not guilty to the murder of his long-time friend and retired army Captain, Mr Patrick O’Mahony, who was found shot dead at his home in Castlemaine, Co. Kerry, in February of 2024.

Mr Thomas Carroll, of Brookway, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, entered the plea at the Central Criminal Court in Limerick, where a jury of nine men and three women has been sworn in.

Opening the prosecution case, Mr Dean Kelly SC said Mr O’Mahony, aged 84, was a respected firearms dealer and former FCA and Defence Forces member, who retired as a Captain with an exemplary record. He had been widowed three months before his death.

The court heard that Mr Carroll, also a retired soldier with an excellent service record, travelled from Co. Tipperary to visit Mr O’Mahony for the weekend. The two men socialised together on the Friday and Saturday.

Mr Kelly said Mr Carroll contacted Mr O’Mahony’s son early on the Sunday morning claiming his father had suffered a fall. However, a post mortem later confirmed Mr O’Mahony died from a single close-range gunshot wound, thus prompting a murder investigation.

The prosecution alleges that events between the two friends “took a foul turn” and that Mr Carroll pointed a handgun at Mr O’Mahony with intent to kill or cause serious harm. It is further alleged that Mr Carroll’s account of a fall was “self-serving”.

The trial is ongoing.

Thurles Businesses & Parish Alarmed At Munster Hotel Car Park Closure.

Thurles businesses and parish alarmed, as Munster Hotel car park in Thurles, faces closure, yet again, with effect from 1st December, 2025.

The decision to close the car park, situated beside the former Munster Hotel, yet again, on December 1st next, 2025, has sparked deep concern and outrage among local business owners, churchgoers, and the wider Thurles community.
What was once a lifeline for retailers, consumers, parishioners and school-bus users, east of the town is now threatened, just as the town prepares for its busiest season of the year.

**Former Munster Hotel car park threatened with closure on December 1st next, 2025.**

A Blow To Faith, Commerce and Community.
The car park’s closure will leave attendees at Thurles Cathedral, for Masses, funerals, and other important rites, struggling to find parking, creating potential hazards and serious access issues.
Small local businesses, already feeling the strain from limited footfall, now fear a catastrophic drop in trade at the worst possible time: the run-up to Christmas.
With the Thurles Market Quarter car park still closed for over a year and ‘The Source’ building car park closed for nearly three years, the looming loss of this space could be a tipping point.

**Public car parking spots on Kickham Street reallocated to school bus services**.

Shockingly, in what many see as “salt in the wound”, a number of previously public parking spots on Kickham Street, have recently been reallocated, without prior notice, to school bus services.

Ownership, Influence And Frustration:
The Munster Hotel and its adjoining car park are understood to be owned by Mr. Martin Healy, a high-profile local businessperson and a former member of the Thurles Chamber of Commerce, latter the very organisation that is tasked in promoting entrepreneurship and supporting small enterprises in the town.
The irony is not lost therefore on local small business owners: the private owner closing a facility that is absolutely vital to the community.

The car park is currently rented by Tipperary County Council, but unconfirmed reports suggest that lease negotiations have broken down, fuelling accusations of neglect and mismanagement.

A Town On The Brink:
Many in Thurles are now asking: how much more can local businesses absorb? How many more loyal customers will be lost because they simply cannot find a spot to park? And what message does this send when, at a time when the town should be rallying together, its own infrastructure fails exactly those who need it most?
The impending closure will also likely expose pedestrians and road-users to increasing risk. With school buses now allocated to street parking, and the Cathedral’s forecourt full, the potential for dangerous traffic congestion is all too real.

Businesses Call For Immediate Action:
Tipperary County Council must urgently intervene. This car park is not just a private asset; it is a public necessity.
Thurles Chamber of Commerce must reflect on its role: supporting small businesses means protecting their lifelines, not shutting them off.
Local elected representatives and stakeholders must demand a rapid, transparent solution that ensures parking is available for parishioners, shoppers, and visitors, especially during this Christmas season.

Conclusion:
This is more than a car park dispute. This is a story of a town’s heartbeat being squeezed: of faith, community, and commerce, all now under threat. With the Munster Hotel itself long derelict, the parking facility has become more than a convenience, it is a cornerstone of Thurles daily life.

Its closure cannot be allowed to be yet another casualty of short-term thinking.

Death Of Rev. Ian Coulter, Co Kilkenny.

It was with great sadness that we learned of the death, on Saturday 22nd November 2025, of Rev. Ian Coulter, (C of I) Rose Hill Court, Kilkenny City, Co Kilkenny and formerly of Riverstown, Birr, Co. Offaly.
[Latter a former temporarily incumbent Rector at St Mary’s Church, Church Lane, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.]

Rev. Coulter passed away peacefully, while in the care of staff at St Luke’s Hospital, Kilkenny City, Co. Kilkenny, surrounded by his loving family.

His passing is most deeply regretted, sadly missed and lovingly remembered by his sorrowing family; loving wife Daphne, children Rian, Ailbhe and the late Eavan, son-in-law Ross, brother Derek and his wife Elizabeth, nieces Lisa and Grace and their husbands Barry and David, extended relatives, neighbours and a wide circle of friends.

Safe in the arms of Jesus.

Funeral Arrangements.

The earthly remains of Rev. Coulter will repose at Johnston’s Funeral Home, John’s Green, Kilkenny, (Eircode R95 XE00) on tomorrow afternoon, Tuesday November 25th, from 4:00pm until 7:00pm, before being received into the Cathedral of St Canice, Coach Rd, Gardens, Co Kilkenny, for an Evening Prayer Service at 7:30pm, same evening.

A Funeral Service will take place on Wednesday afternoon, November 26th at 2:00pm, followed by interment, immediately afterwards, in St Kieran’s Cemetery, Hebron Rd, Garrincreen, Co. Kilkenny.

For those persons who would wish to attend the Funeral Service for Rev. Coulter, but for reasons cannot, same can be viewed streamed live online, HERE.

The extended Coulter 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.

In ár gcroíthe go deo.

Gardaí Arrest Three People Following Possible Murder Of Former Tipperary Resident.

Gardaí have arrested three individuals as part of their ongoing investigation into the possible murder of Mr William Delaney, who has been missing for almost seven years.

Two women, aged in their 30s and 50s, and a man in his 30s, were detained earlier today. They are currently being held at garda stations in the Midlands and Southwest regions under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984.

Mr Delaney, originally from Co. Tipperary, had been living in Portlaoise with his family at the time of his disappearance. On the morning of January 30th 2019, the 56-year-old left Portlaoise General Hospital, where he had been receiving treatment, before collecting his welfare payment at Portlaoise Post Office.

He was last seen at approximately 3:00pm that same day in Monasterevin, Co. Kildare, after calling to the home of a relative on the old Cork–Dublin Road, directly opposite the Hazel Hotel. The relative was not at home, but Mr Delaney was observed outside the property. He was reported missing by his family on March 6th 2019.

In June 2019, gardaí received credible information suggesting that Mr Delaney had been murdered and that his remains had been buried at a location in Co. Laois. A large-scale search operation was subsequently carried out in the vicinity of the Rock of Dunamase; however, no remains were located.

Gardaí continue to appeal to anyone with information relating to the disappearance or murder of William Delaney to come forward.

All information will be treated in the strictest confidence.

Man Aged In His 70s Dies Following House Fire In Clonmel, Co. Tipperary.

Gardaí in Clonmel, South Co. Tipperary are investigating a fatal house fire that sadly claimed the life of a man aged in his 70s on Sunday evening last.

Emergency services were alerted at approximately 6:00pm, after neighbours in the Carrigeen housing estate reported seeing what they believed to be a fire at a residential property.
Fire units from Cahir and Clonmel attended the scene and brought the blaze quickly under control after around two hours.

During the course of the operation, the body of an older man was discovered inside the house. He was pronounced deceased at the scene. No other injuries have been reported.

The man’s body has been removed to University Hospital Waterford, where a post-mortem examination will be carried out.

The scene has been preserved to allow for a full forensic and technical examination, and gardaí have commenced an investigation into the cause of the fire.

Clonmel Gardaí are appealing to anyone with information to contact them on TEL: 052-6177640.