Thurles Information

Thurles Man Mikey Ryan Updates Info. On Death Of Johnny Hayes.

It had come to my attention that I hadn’t seen Johnny Hayes, from the Watery Mall, in recent weeks. So, when I ran into Mikey Ryan in the Arch Bar here in Thurles, last night, I broached the question as to where he might have suddenly vanished.

Mikey had just come off his iPhone, having organising his costume for the 56th annual Littleton “Star Treck” celebrations, this coming month.
[By the way, this year Mikey hopes to win the best costume competition. He is appearing, wearing a ‘Tree Trunk’, representing the ‘Captains Log’.]

“No sure it would be strange if you had seen him”, said Mikey, “Sure Johnny’s resting above in St. Patricks”.

“Holy God and his Mother”, said I, “I never heard; how long is he dead?”

“If he had lived until next Saturday”, said Mikey, “he’d have been dead a full month”.

“Good Lord, I’m totally shocked”, said I, “Sure last time we met he was in great form; how did he die?“

“Ah, it was nothing serious”, said Mikey, “It was a workplace accident, didn’t a Tipperary Co. Council stream roller run over his fingers”.

“But sure that wouldn’t kill a strong, healthy man like Johnny”, said I.

“Indeed it would”, said Mikey, “Sure wasn’t he picking his nose at the time”.

“God love him, he was fierce unlucky. Then again it was always the case with Johnny, as long as I knew him anyway; if he had been playing doctors and nurses, he’d have been the ambulance driver”, continued Mikey.

“Two half ones there, Pat,” said I, “and we’ll raise a glass to his memory”.

Death Of Irene Connolly, Late Of Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

It was with great sadness that we learned of the death, on Sunday last 23rd October 2022, of Ms Irene Connolly, Dublin and late of Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

Pre-deceased by her sister Ann; Ms Connolly passed away suddenly, following a hiking accident in Majorca, Spain.

Her passing is most deeply regretted and greatly missed by her loving sisters Marie and Eleanor, her niece, nephews, extended relatives neighbours and many friends, including those in Lansdowne Tennis Club, Lansdowne Walking Group, Elm Park Tennis Club and Ramblers.

Requiescat in pace.

Funeral Arrangements.

A Humanist Service to celebrate Irene’s life will take place on Friday afternoon, November 4th, at 3:15pm in the Victorian Chapel, Mount Jerome, Harold’s Cross, Dublin.

The extended Connolly 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.

In ár gcroíthe go deo.

Tipperary County Council Continue To Waste Public Funding.

Chest Waders required for Thurles ‘Lady’s Well’ river walkway.

“We have a situation here in Thurles where tarmacadam is being put everywhere except in our street surfaces, ever enlarging potholes.”

In late April 2022, Thurles.Info posted their disappointment following the announcement by local Municipal councillors, led by Fianna Fáil Councillor Mr Seamus Hanafin, regarding the destruction of biodiversity on the ‘Our Lady’s Well’ river walk in Thurles.

Following the complaint, there was total disregard shown for Section 40 of the Wildlife Act, by Green Party Minister Mr Malcolm Noonan and his staff at the National Parks & Wildlife Service.

Section 40 of the Wildlife Act 1976 as amended by the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000 and the Heritage Act 2018 states : –
(a) It shall be an offence for a person to cut, grub, burn or otherwise destroy during the period beginning on the 1st day of March and ending on the 31st day of August in any year, any vegetation growing on any land, not then cultivated.
(b) It shall be an offence for a person to cut, grub, burn or otherwise destroy any vegetation growing in any hedge or ditch during the period mentioned in paragraph (a) of this subsection.

The main purposes of introducing Section 40 of the Wildlife Act, nationally was to protect bird life during the nesting season, to help prevent forest fires, thus protecting vegetation and wildlife habitats during the months of growth and reproduction.

The Minister and his department had been warned in advance of this intended destruction, but same was allowed to continue without any explanation or reply, to the numerous communications sent to the aforenamed Green Party Minister.

**Our Lady’s Well walkway Thurles, today, October 29th, 2022**.
*Pic. George Willoughby.*

As the above video above shows, the Suir River bank in this area was lowered, (see video above), before cold tarmacadam was later poured over the area, eradicating the naturally occurring Bluebells, Primroses, Dandelions, Daffodils, Cowslips, Woodland Violets, Cow Parsley, Cuckoo Flower, Buttercups, Yellow Iris, Brassica, all previously evident and enjoyed by the leisurely walker.
Three seats/ benches were also removed, each a rest stop for the unhurried visitor and those elderly and unsure of foot.

No proper levels were taken in the lowering of the riverbank walkway; trees and their roots were severely damaged, while the quality of mainstream water, plus the build-up of silt and various uncontrolled obstructions in the main body of the river Suir itself were totally ignored; all courtesy of Tipperary County Council, led by Chief Executive Mr Joe MacGrath and his ill-informed officialdom.

Picture (above) taken this evening shows the now flooded tarmacadam pathway, with water over 30cm in depth; which is also flooding the land to the south of the area, and all because of a failure to deal with the main body of water that is the River Suir.

Death Of John Purcell, Formerly Thurles, Co Tipperary.

It was with great sadness that we learned of the death yesterday, Friday 28th October 2022, of Mr John Purcell, Tradaree Court, Shannon, Co. Clare and formerly of Thurles, Co Tipperary.

Pre-deceased by parents Phil and Josie Purcell and his sister Aileen Carroll; Mr Purcell passed away peacefully surrounded by his loving family, while in the care of staff at University Hospital, Co. Limerick.

His passing is most deeply regretted and sadly missed by his heartbroken wife Alice, his four children Siobhan, Elaine, Philip (and their partners), and Paddy and Paddy’s fiancée Claire, his grandchildren Danielle, Jade and husband Fred, Jack, Dean, Rhi, Aaron, Jessica, Lucie, Matthieu, Katie-Jane, Harry, and Emily, sister Catherine Talbot, brothers-in-law [including Pat Corbett (Thurles)] and sisters-in-law, his mother-in-law Peggy Corbett, nephews, nieces, cousins, extended relatives, neighbours and his many friends.

Requiescat in pace.

Funeral Arrangements.

The earthly remains of Mr Purcell will repose at McMahons Funeral Home, Ballycasey, Shannon, Co. Clare, on Sunday evening, October 30th from 5:30pm to 7:00pm.
Requiem Mass will be celebrated on Monday, October 31st, at 12:00 noon in St. John and Paul’s Church, Ballycasey More, Shannon, followed by interment immediately afterwards in Illaunmanagh Cemetery, Tullyvarragh Shannon, Co. Clare.

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

The extended Purcell 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: House strictly private.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

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.