One would be forgiven for thinking that the above was a ‘Promotional Video,’ for the benefit of Auctioneers & Estate Agents.
Those who choose to view the above slide show do please understand, Thurles is the most wonderful place to live, to raise a family & to eventually retire. However in the case of this town presently our local community has become despondent, cynical, unenthusiastic & lifeless. Our business people, because of economic pressure, are being forced to uproot, move or just simply vanish.
In my walk around Thurles, yesterday, I believe I counted some 15 businesses which have closed in the past 9 months in less than a half kilometre stretch, from Westgate to Bowe’s corner alone. With the decline & closure of these businesses departed the hopes & dreams of not just business people, whether owners or tenants, & their landlords, but also some 67 dependant employees. Some have been able to afford to emigrate, while the rest have joined our growing social welfare queue.
Either way Thurles is now ‘For Sale,’ or ‘To Let,’ with little view of either buyer or tenant visible on our immediate horizons.
Some change in local leadership is now immediately required to recover lost fortunes, but with our national interest bill on public debt (forget personal private debt,) running at over €10billion or close to €2.800 for every man, woman & child still choosing to remain in this country, our very futures look bleak on this wintry Monday morning, January 28th 2013.
Your comments on ‘Thurles for sale or to let’ is an absolute disgrace. On one hand you push for tourism and extra visitors for Thurles and then on the other hand you publish this scurrilous article which is so negative towards Thurles. Why not be positive and genuinely promote Thurles and the magnificent shops which we have and all the other amenities if you feel this strongly on tourism. You should talk to Thurles Chamber and pull together a group to highlight all the good things about the town and leave the negatives out. Your comments are most unhelpful at this particulare time for business in Thurles.
Hi Ken,
Sorry you feel that my article was a disgrace. Yes I do push for tourism and attempt to attract extra tourists. However I, unlike you, am not prepared to remain totally blind to the reality of the present economic state of a town that I love.
Since you appear to love Thurles, why do you not talk to Thurles Chamber and “pull together a group to highlight all the good things about the town.”
In relation to our “magnificent shops,” truth is Ken we are slowly becoming a haven for bookmakers and burger joints. Yes we have wonderful amenities however my article was drawing attention to our economic state and not the latter. (And without the former believe me the latter soon will not exist.)
What part of my article did you find untruthful or incorrect? Did 15 businesses not fail over the past 12 months in Friar Street alone? Did 3 different businesses not cease trading from just one outlet alone, over this same period?
Do stop dreaming Ken and open your eyes to reality, parking fees & traffic congestion has destroyed shopping in Thurles.
So Ken do tell Thurles what is your solution to our economic woes, as to date you have offered none, other than “Lets pretend everything is perfect and no problem exists.” Sixty seven unemployed staff from former outlets in Friar Street await your solution with “bated breath.”
Try free parking for a month and check the difference. Your video lets people know what’s happening in the town.
George.
What exactly are you doing to attract business or tourists to Thurles? Yes,I do accept that these business’s have closed as they have in every other town in Ireland. Thurles like all other towns had a’false’ economy during the Celtic Tiger years. We have now come to reality but there is no point in belittling my home town. I understand that you are a business person in Thurles involved in the photography and computer business. I assume as a business person you are a member of the Chamber of Commerce so why not get your colleagues in the Chamber to pull together to ‘solve’ the issues raised by you. I am a native Thurles person now living out of Thurles and very proud of my town.
Ken for a man who claims to be local, you appear to be very misinformed so let me bring you up to date.
Firstly, I am not or have ever been a member of Thurles Chamber.
Secondly, I am not involved in the computer business; rather I simply administer three computer sites which I fund completely out of my own pocket. Two of these sites should you care to check, namely http://www.hiddentipperary.com/ & http://www.faminemuseum.com/ are used exclusively for promoting tourism to Tipperary & Thurles, to the limits of my finances.
Thirdly, more ‘Businesses & Factories,’ have closed in this town, than in any other town in Ireland. Surely as a local you must be aware of this fact.
Questions: (1) Who gave Thurles the St.Mary’s Famine & War Museum? (2) Who designed, funded through private business & physically contributed to the actual building of the fountain in the River Suir? (3) Who introduced the historical plaques placed on the many buildings in Thurles?
To continue Ken would give our readers the opinion I was seeking glory, so I will cease here.
Now Ken perhaps you could forward to our reader’s details of your contribution to the economic benefit of Thurles, latter the Town you proudly cherish from afar. Perhaps you will return for The Gathering 2013 and introduce yourself to me and we can compare notes & I can bring you up to date after your long sojourn.
“And, as an hare whom hounds and horns pursue, Pants to the place from whence at first she flew,
I still had hopes, my long vexations past, Here to return – and die at home at last.“