Thurles Information

Death Of Mark McKenna, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

It was with a great sadness that we learned of the death yesterday, Friday, 29th July, 2022, of Mr Mark McKenna, Coolcroo, Two-Mile-Borris, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

Predeceased by his father Billy; his passing is most deeply regretted by his heartbroken family, his mother Lily, brothers Michael, Paul and Liam, sisters Elizabeth, Deirdre, Claire, Mary, Siobhan, Helen and Catherine, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, grand nephews, grand nieces, great friends Peggy, Mary and Melissa, extended relatives, neighbours and many friends.

Requiescat in Pace.

Funeral Arrangements.

The earthly remains of Mr McKenna will repose at his place of residence on Monday evening next, August 1st, from 5:00pm to 7:00pm.
His body will be received into the Church of St James, Two Mile Borris, Thurles on Tuesday morning, August 2nd, at 11:00am, to further repose for Requiem Mass at 11:30am.
Interment will take place immediately afterwards in Two-Mile-Borris Cemetery, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

[NB: Due to C-19 virus fears; those attending will continue to observe strict adherence to social distancing, face covering, with no hand shaking.]

The extended McKenna 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 private on Tuesday morning. Donations if desired to the Irish Kidney Association.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

Thurles Wives

[Note Please: Any resemblance to the Jackie Collins’ novel and television mini-series ‘Hollywood Wives’ is purely coincidental.]

Episode 1.

According to Thurles born Mrs Brooklin Casey, (who claims she heard it directly from the horse’s mouth), her neighbour and also housewife Mrs Harper Penelope McCarthy, got home from work rather early yesterday.
[Not that it matters, but Mrs Casey was anxious to point out to me that Harper McCarthy was high up in the Civil Service, and works a flexitime schedule, which allows her to choose when to start and to end her average working day].

As she turned the key in the latch, she was startled by a strange, rather high pitched, screaming noise, emanating she felt sure, from her upstairs bedroom.

Pounding up the creaky stairs, she located her husband Mr Waylon McCarthy, lying totally naked on their bed, drenched in sweat and breathing with short, quick breaths.

‘What’s wrong?’ a concerned Harper asked.

‘I think I’m having a heart attack,’ whispers Waylon her husband.

Harper rushes back downstairs to get her iPhone from her discarded handbag and just as she begins dialling, one of her children; five-year-old son Jaxon McCarthy comes down stairs shouting, “Mummy, Mummy, Aunty Shirley is hiding in the walk-in wardrobe in your bedroom and she has no clothes on”

Harper slams the mobile phone down on the hall stand and storms back upstairs into her bedroom, rushing past her husband, latter still naked on their bed, but breathing showing signs of improving.

Harper slides open the black mirrored sliding wardrobe doors and there, sure enough, is her sister Shirley, totally naked; cowering in one corner, on the floor.

‘You rotten bitch’, Harper screams, ‘there is my husband having a heart attack, and here you are running around naked, playing hide and seek with the kids’.

Death Of Mag O’Regan, Formerly Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

It was with a great sadness that we learned of the death yesterday, Friday 29th July 2022, of Mrs Margaret (Mag) O’Regan (née O’Meara), Carrigaline, Co. Cork and formerly Moyne, Templetuohy, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

Mrs O’Regan passed away peacefully, but unexpectedly, at her place of residence.

Her passing is most deeply regretted by her husband Dan, children Elaine and Paul, brother Michael, sisters the late Anna, Mary and Pauline, daughter-in-law Carole and Elaine’s partner Billy, grandchildren Maria, Shane, Chloe and Mark, great-grandchild Sam, sister-in-law, brothers-in-law, nephews, nieces, extended relatives, neighbours and friends.

Requiescat in Pace.

Funeral Arrangements.

The earthly remains of Mrs O’Regan will repose at her place of residence, (Carrigaline) on tomorrow afternoon, Sunday, July 31st, from 3:00pm to 6:00pm.
Requiem Mass will be celebrated on Monday morning, Aug 1st, at 11:30am in the Church of Our Lady and St. John, No.10 Cork Road, Carrigaline, Co. Cork, followed by interment immediately afterwards in St. John’s Cemetery, Ballinrea, Co. Cork.

For the many persons who would have liked to have attended the funeral service for Mrs O’Regan, but are unable to do so; same can be viewed online HERE.

[NB: Due to C-19 virus fears; those attending will continue to observe strict adherence to social distancing, face covering, with no hand shaking.]

The extended O’Regan 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.

Suaimhneas síoraí dá h-anam dílis.

Saturday, July 30th, World Day Against Trafficking In Persons.

World Day Against Trafficking In Persons – New Legislation Welcomed.

Bill will put make it easier for victims of trafficking to come forward.
A new National Referral Mechanism will be put on statutory footing – a significant advance in identifying and supporting victims of trafficking.
The theme of this year’s World Day Against Trafficking in Persons is ‘the use and abuse of technology’.

The Minister for Justice, Mrs Helen McEntee TD, has welcomed Government approval of the drafting of new legislation that will better support victims of human trafficking; as she marks this year’s “World Day against Trafficking in Persons”.

The Criminal Justice (Sexual Offences and Human Trafficking) Bill 2022, the General Scheme of which was approved by Cabinet this week, will put a revised National Referral Mechanism on a statutory footing, making it easier for victims of trafficking to come forward, be identified, and access support.

This will widen the number of bodies and organisations victims of trafficking can come forward to and report what is happening to them. Currently, An Garda Síochána is the only organisation, or competent authority, victims can report to.

In addition to An Garda Síochána; it is being proposed that the Department of Justice, the Department of Social Protection, the HSE, Tusla, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and the International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) will also become competent authorities for the identification of victims of human trafficking.

In addition, some NGOs will be designated as ‘trusted partners’ and will also be able to refer victims, which creates an alternative and trusted pathway to enter the NRM, aside from through interaction with State agencies.

Minister McEntee said: “Today is a timely reminder of the terrible reality that too many people worldwide continue to suffer at the hands of traffickers, and that we must continue our efforts to combat this abhorrent crime.
The revised National Referral Mechanism, approved by Government earlier this week, will make a significant difference to Ireland’s capacity to identify and support harder-to-reach human trafficking victims.
This new approach acknowledges that many victims of human trafficking may not feel comfortable coming forward to police services, perhaps because of previous experiences in other countries. We will make it easier for victims to seek help by increasing the number of organisations they can report to – and this includes non-government organisations.
It will allow all agencies, both State and civil society, to co-operate, identify and share information about potential victims and facilitate their access to advice, accommodation and support.”

There have been a number of significant developments recently in the fight against human trafficking here including:

The first convictions, in September of last year, for human trafficking.
The development of a new National Action Plan on Human Trafficking.
An increase in funding dedicated specifically to supporting victims of trafficking, and for public awareness and prevention efforts.

Working with the International Organisation for Migration and others, the Department of Justice has taken proactive steps to raise awareness of – and mitigate any potential risk of – trafficking, as people escape the war in Ukraine.

Minister McEntee added, “The mass movement of people across Europe over the past five months has served only to concentrate minds and deepen our resolve to help. We have seen this on a national level and at EU level.
Ireland is determined to play its full part in providing safe refuge for the people fleeing from Ukraine and the Irish people have afforded a warm welcome to tens of thousands.
However, we are also mindful that some will view it as an opportunity to deceive and exploit.
We welcome the coordination across the EU to counter the serious and organised crime threats linked to the war, particularly those targeting the vulnerable and most at risk of exploitation”.

The theme of the UN’s World Day against Trafficking in Persons 2022 is the use and abuse of technology, with technology having significantly exacerbated exploitation and trafficking. This ranges from technology being used to recruit victims to technology being used to advertise women and girls on adult services platforms.

Minister McEntee paid tribute to a wide range of partners across the public service, latter providing care and practical support to trafficking victims including; An Garda Síochána, the HSE, the Legal Aid Board, the Immigration Service, and Tusla, as well as NGOs funded by the Department to provide support.

The Garda Inspectorate has recently launched a consultation on transnational organised crime, which will seek views and experiences from victims and stakeholders on how An Garda Síochána tackles transnational organised crime, including trafficking. The consultation can be accessed through links found on the Garda Inspectorate website at www.gsinsp.ie and on its social channels.

Further information can be found on the Department of Justice’s dedicated anti trafficking website HERE

Court Of Appeal Increases Tipperary Drug Dealer’s Prison Sentence.

Yesterday, the Court of Appeal greatly increased the sentence handed down to a west Tipperary drug dealer; latter caught red-handed with over €1m in cash and drugs, including 5kg of cocaine located in a potato sack.

The Director of Public Prosecutions had appealed against the sentence handed down to Mr James Curtis, aged 51 years, on the grounds that it was too lenient.

A three-judge court found that the five-and-a-half year sentence imposed on Mr Curtis, latter with an address at Reiska, Kilcommon, Thurles, Co. Tipperary, was not appropriate and a more severe sentence should have been initially imposed.

Mr Justice George Birmingham, in delivering the judgment, quashed the previous Nenagh Circuit Court sentence and increased same to one of 10 years detention, backdated to October 30th, 2020, when Mr Curtis was first arrested.

Gardaí had observed Mr Curtis leaving his residence in Reiska, Kilcommon, Thurles, under the cover of darkness and without the aid of a flashlight, on the same date, October 30th, 2020; walking along a secluded country road before crossing into a field, were he was found to be in possession of €1 million in cash and drugs, and to which he had pleaded guilty.